John L. Costello National Criminal Law Trial Advocacy Competition on February 2-5, 2012

Registration is now open for the Fifth Annual John L. Costello Criminal Law Trial Advocacy Competition, which will take place in Fairfax, Virginia on February 2-5, 2012. Registration for the competition will close on January 6, 2012. Please submit both your registration form and fee by the registration deadline.

Final Competitors List for 2011

The following teams competed in the 2011 Competition

• New York University School of Law
• George Washington University Law (2)
• Georgetown University Law Center (2)
• University of Virginia School of Law (2)
• Duke University School of Law (2)
• American University Washington College of Law (2)
• William and Mary Law School (2)
• Catholic University of America
• Columbus School of Law (2)
• The University of Texas School of Law
• Pace Law School (2)
• J. Reuben Clark Law School BYU (2)
• Willamette University College of Law (2)
• Valparaiso University School of Law (2)

The tentative schedule for the competition is below, but is subject to change:

Costello Competition Preliminary Rounds
Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012: First Round (5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Friday, Feb. 3, 2012: Second Round (5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)

Costello Competition Advancing Rounds
Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012: Quarter Final Round (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012: Semi Final Round (1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Costello Competition Final Round
Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012: Final Round begins at 10:00 a.m.

Directions and Venue Information

The Costello Competition is held at the Fairfax County Judicial Center. The Judicial Center is located at 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030. Please see our Directions and Venue Information Page for further directions.  

General Information about the Costello Competition

The Costello competition is uniquely designed by Judge Jonathan Thacher to take participants outside the typical realms of law school competitions. By revealing unknown facts and witnesses as the competition progresses, the Costello competition simulates the evolving and unexpected nature of real-life criminal trials. This dynamic design provides competitors with a realistic experience as counsel in a criminal trial and an exciting take on trial advocacy! Each trial will take place in a courtroom at the Fairfax County Judicial Center in front of three judges. All competition judges are local judges and practitioners, and a real judge will preside over each trial! Judges and competitors will use the Federal Rules of Evidence as well as the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Competing schools are permitted to send two teams to the competition. The registration fee for the competition is $500 for the first team and $400 for a second team. All meals during the competition are catered and included in the registration fee. The registration fee also includes admission to a cocktail party hosted by GMUSL’s Trial Advocacy Association for all Costello competition judges and competitors. The Costello competition will be capped at 24 teams and teams will be admitted on a first-come basis, so don’t forget to register early!

Registration may be completed by visiting the GMUSL Trial Advocacy Association website and submitting an online registration form. The competition problem will be released to competitors in mid-December. For any additional questions or information, please contact Jennifer Anklewich at GMUSL.Costello@gmail.com