TJSL National Trial Team to Defend Title at TYLA Regionals

February 13, 2014

The TJSL Trial team headed to Los Angeles on Tuesday, February 18 to defend their regional title in the 39th Annual National Trial Competition. The TYLA competition is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the country. Last year, TJSL won the Regionals and advanced to Nationals where they took semi-final honors. This year, the team consists of four third-year Trial Team members, Joscelyn B. Campbell, Charles Lollar, Raffy Krikorian, and Ismael Iniguez, along with second-year teammate, Kierre Coghill.

Coghill shares, “while preparing for competition takes a lot of time and practice, I have enjoyed the benefit of meeting many volunteer witnesses and guest judges who have provided amazing insight in trial practice techniques and arguing the law.  The experience has been irreplaceable.”

Campbell, who competed in the TYLA competition last year believes that “the only thing harder than winning a competition is winning it twice but I do believe that the team we have this year is more than capable to take on the challenge of defending our Regional Championship.”

Iniguez gives a nod to the amazing coaches behind the team, “our coaches Lilys Mccoy and Lea Fields-Bernard sacrifice so much to help us, it is inspiring moving forward. Thomas Jefferson’s National Trial Team, as always, will approach regionals with the same professionalism, skills, and effort that have cemented us as feared competitors.”

The Trial Team will also be competing in three other prestigious competitions this semester, sending students to the American Association of Justice Regional Competition, the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge, and the McGeorge School of Law National Ethics Trial Competition.