Kilpatrick is the Broun National
Trial Team's favorite 1L tradition. Named for its generous sponsors, Kilpatrick
Townsend & Stockton, and held each January at the University of North
Carolina School of Law, Kilpatrick offers a unique chance for first-year law
students to gain first-hand trial advocacy experience in a friendly, open
setting. Though inherently competitive, the competition is deigned to be an
accessible, low-stress learning opportunity for any student interested in
litigation, regardless of their experience level. Accordingly, the competition
focuses on development of trial skills rather than knowledge of the law. Our
team looks forward to opening this fun and enriching event to all 1Ls at North
Carolina law schools every year.
Additional details about the
competition are always included in the competition packet released prior to the
tournament, but several important aspects of the competition are summarized
below.
Kilpatrick 2016 (January 21-24, 2016)
The 2016 Kilpatrick Competition will be January 21-24, 2016 at UNC School of Law. Information regarding dates of the packet release and registration will be released by October 30, 2015. Please email uncmocktrial@gmail.com with any questions.
Kilpatrick 2015 (January
15–18, 2015)
Over forty teams from six different
North Carolina law schools participated in Kilpatrick 2015, making it one of
the most well attended tournaments in Kilpatrick history. Thank you and
congratulations to every team that participated! Special congratulations to
Rita Fishman, Jordan Glassberg, Will Hawkins, and Adam Mortillaro of Duke Law,
our Kilpatrick 2015 Champions! Runners up Matt Burke, Dexter Hobbs, Troy
Homesley, and Joelle Portzer of Carolina Law should also be commended for an
absolutely phenomenal final round.
Eligibility and
Registration
All first-year students attending
North Carolina law schools are eligible to participate in Kilpatrick. Students
may register in teams of four to six, though teams of four are preferred.
Registration typically opens in October or November. Carolina Law 1Ls will
receive information from our team about registration. Our team will also reach
out to other North Carolina law schools, announcing the competition and
detailing the registration process. We do not cap the number of teams that may
participate. Any questions about registration should be submitted to uncmocktrial@gmail.com.
Competition
Structure
Kilpatrick is a mock trial
tournament in which teams of students play the roles of both attorneys and
witnesses in a mock civil or criminal case. Teams of students together prepare
both the plaintiff or prosecution and defense sides of the case using witness
statements and evidentiary exhibits contained in a pre-released case packet. At
the competition, every team participates in two preliminary rounds, presenting
their plaintiff or prosecution case-in-chief in one, and their defense
case-in-chief in the other. Eight teams advance to the quarterfinal round, four
to the semifinal round, and two to the final round.
Team Structure
There are four attorney roles and
four witness roles per team. Two students portray plaintiff or prosecution
co-counsel, and two different students portray plaintiff or prosecution
witnesses; similarly, two students portray defense co-counsel, and two
different students portray defense witnesses. A student may be an attorney on
both sides of the case, a witness on both sides of the case, an attorney on one
side only, a witness on one only, or an attorney on one side and a witness on
the other. A student serving as an attorney must deliver an opening statement
or closing argument, a direct examination of one of their own team's witnesses,
and a cross-examination of an opposing team's witness.
Judges and
Scoring
Teams are scored according to a
formalized scoring rubric included in the case packet. 2L and 3L members of the
Broun National Trial Team score participants in the preliminary and
quarterfinal rounds, while practicing attorneys and judges score participants
in the semifinal and final rounds.
Feedback and
Awards
Though teams' scores are not
released, the presiding and scoring judges will offer feedback to all
participants following each round of competition. Judges will also determine
and present a certificate to the best advocate in each round. Quarterfinalists
and semifinalist teams will also receive certificates reflecting their
achievement. Teams that place first and second overall are awarded trophies at
the end of the final round, which is open to the public.
Preparing for
Competition
Because Kilpatrick is intended primarily as a novice competition, no previous mock trial experience is required or expected. Moreover, permissible preparation is limited in two important ways. First, coaching of teams is absolutely prohibited. Teams should prepare for the competition only with other members of their four to six person teams. Nevertheless, each school is allowed to hold up to three training sessions led by non-trial team members prior to the packet release. Training sessions may cover the fundamentals of a trial, including opening statements, closing arguments, direct and cross-examinations, and the rules of evidence. Additional information about these same trial fundamentals is always included in each year's competition packet. Second, Kilpatrick is a "closed universe" competition: all legal, procedural, and evidentiary knowledge needed for the competition is contained in the competition packet. Teams are forbidden from doing any outside legal research and from raising objections not contained in the packet. Any questions about permissible competition preparation can be submitted to uncmocktrial@gmail.com.