Forty criminal trial teams arrived from across the U.S., but it was the team from Syracuse University College of Law that received the highest honors at the Buffalo-Niagara National Criminal Trial Competition. The Competition was held on November 12, 2007, in Buffalo, New York.

The Syracuse Law Trial Team was composed of four third-year law students: Levi Barrett, Meaghan Hearn, Kristen Kemp and Meghan Ruesch. Levi Barrett won an individual advocacy award for best opening statement and Meghan Ruesch won the best overall advocate award. The Syracuse Team defeated Duquesne for the championship.

“We are so proud of the Syracuse team for their remarkable accomplishment. They won every round, and did so with such poise, talent and the highest ethical standards. They won great respect from their fellow competitors and coaches, as well as the judges and attorneys who evaluated them,” says Joanne Van Dyke of Cote, Limpert & Van Dyke, LLP. Van Dyke is a local attorney and an Adjunct Professor who has been coaching the Syracuse Trial Teams for nearly 12 years.“The college places great value in training and educating law students in trial advocacy.”

Van Dyke and fellow coaches Joseph Cote, III, Esq., Jean Marie Westlake, Esq. and John Wutz, Esq. spend countless hours preparing the students for the competition. Third-year student Shannon Ashford and second-year student Tahanie Aboushi were clerks for the team.

“The college places great value in training and educating law students in trial advocacy,” said Cote, also an Adjunct Professor at Syracuse College of Law. Professor Emeritus Travis H.D. Lewin authored the trial problem used by the participants. Erie County Court Judge, the Honorable Thomas P. Franczyk ran the competition. Judge Franczyk is an alumni of Syracuse College of Law, and a former member of the Syracuse’s National Trial Team, while in law school.

Photograph Attached (left to right): Jean Marie Westlake, Meaghan Ruesch, Megan Hearn, Joseph Cote, Kristen Kemp and Levi Barrett.