OVER 150 LOCAL AND REGIONAL ATTORNEYS PROVIDE CRITIQUE FOR UA SCHOOL OF LAW TRIAL COMPETITION

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A federal judge and two well-known Arkansas trial lawyers will judge the final round of the University of Arkansas School of Law’s interscholastic trial competition, Friday, Oct. 1 at 3 p.m. in the courtroom of the Leflar Law Center.

The Honorable Robert Dawson, federal district judge for Western District of Arkansas; William H. "Buddy" Sutton, managing partner, Friday, Eldredge and Clark, Little Rock; and Walter Cox, partner, Davis, Cox and Wright, Fayetteville, are among the more than 150 local and regional attorneys who have volunteered their time to act as judges and provide critique during the competition, which began Monday, Sept. 20.

The trial competition, named the William H. Sutton Barristers’ Union Trial Competition, is one of seven competitions that the School of Law holds during the year to give students practical experience in the law. The winners and finalists of this competition will be eligible to compete on a regional level with such schools as Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee, Wake Forest University, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Mississippi.

Dean of the School of Law, Robert B. Moberly, said, "We are thrilled with the involvement of these local and regional attorneys and their willingness to volunteer to help these students sharpen their trial skills. While many of these attorneys are alumni of the school, we’ve also had volunteers who graduated from other law schools."

Eighty-four second- and third-year students have participated in the competition. More than half of the School’s student body, including first-year students, have served as competitors, witnesses, jurors and bailiffs. Participation is voluntary, and the students receive no credit.

John Watkins, the school’s Ben J. Altheimer Professor of Legal Advocacy, oversees all of the School of Law competitions. "It is critical that we prepare these students to be proficient for actual cases. This trial competition gives them the opportunity to gain first-hand experience and receive feedback from attorneys who are in the trenches day-to-day," he said.

Kim Coats, research assistant professor, serves as faculty adviser for the competition. Dak Kees, a third-year law student from Stephens, Ark., is the student coordinator for the trial competition and member of the student Board of Advocates organization, which is responsible for all competitions.

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(Note: The UA School of Law William H. Sutton Barristers’ Union Trial Competition is open to the press on Friday, Oct. 1 at 2:45 p.m., when Dean Moberly will be available for comment.)