How to Participate

With the support of University at Buffalo School of Law, the New York State 8th Judicial District, and the Bar Association of Erie County, the Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition will be held each October in Buffalo, NY.

Schools interested in participating should contact Jennifer Scharf at jrscharf@buffalo.edu.

In your email, please include:

• The school’s name
• Contact person
• Mailing address
• Email address
• Phone number
• A brief statement describing the school’s involvement in mock trial competitions in the preceding five years

An invitational email will be sent out to all interested schools in mid-May. Notification of the schools selected (one team per school) will be sent by email by mid-June.​

Entry fee is $800 (subject to change).

Schools may pay by credit card or by ACH/Echeck.  Paper checks will only be accepted for schools who cannot pay by credit card or electronically. Payment information will be provided to participating schools.  ​Payment is due by mid-September. The case problem is sent out by the first week of September.

The competition begins with three preliminary rounds in which the teams are paired at random. A judge or experienced attorney presides while attorney evaluators observe and keep score during each round. They all grade the students' performances on score sheets.  After the preliminary rounds, eight teams advance based on their win/loss record and the total number of winning ballots and points. From there, the four winning teams advance, then the final two teams advance to the championship round.

Advocates are scored in several categories (motions/objections, opening, direct exam, cross exam, summation, ethics/civility) based on quality of advocacy, professionalism, and ethics. Student advocates are expected to maintain the highest level of professionalism and ethics in their trials.

Each team must consist of four members. During each trial, two students are advocates and the other two are witnesses. When a team changes sides of the case, the roles must be reversed to ensure that every participant has an opportunity to try the case.

Each team has 60 minutes to try its case (not including motions in limine). Time stops on objections unless the court determines that a team is engaging in unnecessarily protracted, repetitious, or unmeritorious arguments. In such a case, the offending team may have time deducted and suffer in the scoring. Attorneys for each team must divide their responsibilities evenly so that each counsel is making or responding to motions, directing a witness, crossing a witness, and giving either an opening or closing statement.

Case problems are drafted to afford the students a meaningful, challenging, and enjoyable learning experience.

Additional details and guidelines are provided in each team's case packet, and the rules in the case packet governs and controls.