School of Law team takes top spot in tournament.
By Sarah Carrillo
News Assistant
After six weeks of 7 a.m. practices and four days of grueling competition, Pepperdine University School of Law’s Trial Advocacy Team has won a national championship, the first ever for the school.
Pepperdine was one of 16 teams chosen for the competition based on its performances in the past three years. Last semester the team went to the finals at the national competition but did not win.
This year, however, Pepperdine beat host school University of Texas along with several other prestigious law schools during The Tournament of Champions Oct. 31 through Nov. 2.
For the competition, team members Allyson Rinella, Jack White, Georgia Woodruff and Martin Dearcangelis argued a mock trial against another school and were scored by judges based on their performance.
After arguing the case, the teams were critiqued by the judges and in some cases, their comments were rather strange.
“The judges were instructed to not give compliments, just critiques,” Rinella said. “You get slammed afterward; it’s like taking a beating. (For example) they critiqued Jack White for wearing a pinstriped suit with no explanation. (Coach Dr. Tim Perrin) said if all they have to critique you on is what you’re wearing then you probably did a good job.”
The team proved Perrin’s statement when they were announced the winners and when Rinella was named best advocate during both the preliminary and final rounds.
“(When my award was announced) it was totally shocking, we were all shouting,” Rinella said. “I’m so relieved. All our work paid off and it was totally worth it.”
Work for this competition included practices every Monday morning for six weeks and weekend meetings as well. Every detail of the trial is planned out and rehearsed, often with alumni returning to help. For the competition, team members have to be prepared to argue both sides.
“I argued both sides (in the competition) and for me it was like tempered schizophrenia going back and forth,” White said.
Adviser Perrin said he believes the work that the team put into preparation is what led to its victory.
“The number one thing was preparation,” Perrin said. “It also helps being talented and smart. You have to think on your feet and be able to respond to arguments.”
White said he believes the way Pepperdine professors help the team prepare may have contributed to its win.
“The way Pepperdine teaches it to be respectful of the court, the process and the adversary,” White said. “You don’t hate your opposing council, just disagree with their position. Some schools teach that the other side is the enemy. Here, (law school professor Harry) Caldwell and Perrin teach us to be reasonable and only fight the battles you can win.”
Team members receive class credit for their work and get the benefit of instruction by coaches Perrin and Caldwell.
“There’s a huge academic component,” Perrin said. “Often there is a two-to-one faculty to student ratio, which is rare. It’s a very valuable learning experience.”
Caldwell and Perrin chose the members of the team based on their previous experiences in either former competitions or trial classes.
Rinella and Woodruff were both on the team last year, but this was the first year for White and Dearcangelis.
“We look for students that are comfortable as public speakers, those that have a presence, that can connect with audiences, have poise, charisma, are hard workers, take instruction, are team members and are smart,” Perrin said.
The competition was started in 1989 by Professor Charles E. Kirkwood of the University of Akron School of Law.
It is sponsored by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. This year, the case that the teams argued dealt with premises liability. The case was between a high school girl who was injured at a party at a hotel and the hotel owner, who the girl claimed was liable, according to White.
Team members had to be ready to either prove that the hotel owner was at fault for the girl’s accident or that the girl was responsible for her own actions.
November 14, 2002