Akron Law Trial Team ties best finish in school’s history at Top Gun Competition
The University of Akron School of Law’s Imokhai Okolo and Cassandra Rosa continued their season of mock-trial tournament dominance with a top-four finish at Baylor Law School’s 10th annual Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition (Top Gun X) held June 5-9 in Waco, Texas.
This was Akron Law’s best finish in the prestigious tournament since the 2010 team reached the same semifinal tier in the inaugural year. It also marked the third consecutive year and eighth time in 10 years that Akron has competed in the invitation-only event.
Imokhai Okolo, left, and Cassandra Rosa have triumphed at several trial advocacy competitions this year. — Photo by Nick Teixeira, Baylor Law
Top Gun is the season-ending mock trial tournament where the best individual advocates from the top 16 trial advocacy schools in the country go head-to-head for the honor of being designated “Top Gun.” Each advocate is assisted by a “second-chair” student advocate who aids in the preparation and presentation of the case.
This year Akron Law named Okolo, then a second year (2L) student, as its Top Gun competitor, and then-3L student Cassandra Rosa — Akron’s 2018 Top Gun competitor — as second-chair. Okolo, Rosa and team coach Kevin Kita ’11 were able to travel to Waco thanks in part to the generous assistance and support of the Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs law firm.
Imokhai Okolo questions a witness during a preliminary round of the mock trial. — Photo by Nick Teixeira, Baylor Law
Top Gun is unique in that the students receive the case file — this year, a comprehensive products liability and personal injury lawsuit — the morning before the competition begins. The students then have 24 hours to work with their coaches to prepare both the plaintiff and defense sides of the case, including motions, opening statements, direct and cross examinations of fact and expert witnesses, closing arguments, and the coordinated use of exhibits and courtroom technology.
The teams then face off in a series of mock trials, trying both sides of the case over each of the next three days. At the end of each evening, new witnesses and exhibits are added to the mix, requiring teams to make appropriate adjustments to their material and strategy. Students are judged head-to-head on five elements of trial practice by a panel of three to five practicing attorneys and judges from around the country who fly in just to participate in the event.
Imokhai Okolo makes his closing argument to the jury in the semifinal round. — Photo by Nick Teixeira, Baylor Law
After sweeping advocates from Temple University Beasley School of Law, the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, and the Wake Forest University School of Law, Okolo advanced to the final four — the only rising 3L student to do so — where he lost by the narrowest of margins to Tatiana Terry, a recent graduate of the Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, who would go on to win the competition, including the $10,000 winner-take-all grand prize.
“While falling short of their goal, Okolo and Rosa made a name for themselves on the national stage, receiving accolades, and even some job offers, from judges in every round,” said Kita. “They proved themselves to be among the very best student trial advocates in the country and continued Akron Law’s legacy as one of the best trial programs in the country.”