By Andrew Christensen '08
Executive Editor

For the first time since 2005, three members of UVA Law’s Extramural Advocacy Team have earned the opportunity to vie for the title at the 33rd Annual National Trial Competition in Austin, Texas.

Second-year students Lauren Charneski, Eric Gerard, and Mike Thompson rose to the top of a 26-team field at the NTC mid-Atlantic regional competition earlier this month to secure a slot at the upcoming national contest, to be held from March 26 to 29. Only two teams advanced from the region, and UVA’s other team of third-year Ryan Faulconer and first-year Laura Bower took an impressive third place, just missing a UVA sweep of the tournament.

Although the three finalists are pleased with their decisive victory (they believe to have never lost a round, as scored in secret by seasoned lawyers and adjudicators), they are quick to acknowledge the considerable time, teamwork, and personal development that went into the win.

“I found winning Regionals particularly rewarding, having had no background in mock trial before joining the [National Trial Advocacy Team] this year,” Gerard said. “Mike and Lauren, who both have extensive mock trial experience and are exceptionally gifted advocates, were quite patient in helping me along.”

Gerard will not be joining his teammates in Austin, as he plans to participate in a criminal law advocacy event in Chicago on the same date. According to Thompson, Gerard’s presence will be missed, but his contributions will likely linger in the remaining duo’s poise and preparedness.

“When it came to be time for our regional competition, [Gerard’s] dedication paid off,” said Thompson. “He was more than a match for opponents with much more experience.”

Gerard’s departure will leave the litigating at next month’s Nationals to the two most trial-tested vets, a fact that Charneski takes in stride—even welcomes—as much as the on-the-spot challenges she’s learned to expect and overcome during her days before the bench.

Speaking of a particularly stringent judge presiding over the wrongful death suit for the regional competition, Charneski commented that, at this high level, the mock trial environment can often prove more hostile and demanding than the real thing, due to the important educational objectives behind the exercise.

“I know all three of us had to quickly think on our feet and completely rethink an entire line of questioning in a direct or a cross at least once,” Charneski said. “And we had to make it look like it was exactly what we wanted to do.”

Ryan Faulconer, president of UVA Law’s National Trial Advocacy Team, sees significance in the group’s achievements from his senior perspective, noting that their placements at the NTC regional tournament have improved each of the past three years—from ninth place in 2006, to a tie for fifth in 2007, to this year’s clenching of two of the top three spots.

“Overall, it seems to mean pretty good things for the organization,” a proud but grounded Faulconer noted.

While Trial Advocacy marks their win and looks ahead to the excitement of Nationals, the other half of UVA Law’s Extramural Advocacy Program, Extramural Moot Court, is also off to a strong start following its first competition of the spring semester.

Third-year Jonathan Lucier was named Second Best Oralist at Tulane Law School’s National Sports Law Moot Court Competition, held in New Orleans from January 30 to February 1. Lucier was able to top nearly 70 law students from 35 schools, including teams from NYU and Duke.

Along with third-year teammate Jonathan Ganter, Lucier advanced to the quarterfinal round of the competition, which focused on the question of whether an internet fantasy football game violated NFL players’ right of publicity by using names and statistics without a license, and if so, whether such use was nonetheless protected by the First Amendment.

This was the Law School’s second year appearing at the Tulane Sports Law Competition. In 2007, then-first-year student Joseph Warden earned honors as Fourth Best Oral Advocate.

Lucier and Ganter credit their 2008 success in part to coaching from lawyers of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, which grants academic credit to military lawyers who assist UVA teams. Major Dan Sennott of the JAG School has worked closely with third-year law student and Extramural Chair Adam Gordon since last spring to strengthen the ties between the two schools through the program.