The Temple National Trial Team turned in a strong performance at the regional round of the American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, advancing to the semi-finals on the strength of their preparation and teamwork.

The team, which included Emily Diaz ‘18, Osazenoriuwa Ebose ‘18, Rosemary Cochrane ‘18, and Brianna Shaw ‘19, was coached by Matt Helman and Professor Sara Jacobson LAW ’97 LLM ’02. “This semester, I was given the opportunity to learn from two amazing coaches, Sara Jacobson and Matt Helman, and I was given the honor of being on a team of strong, confident women,” said Diaz. Cochrane also expressed gratitude for and pride in her teammates: “I am so thankful I got to work with these intelligent, strong, and beautiful women. I was so proud to watch my teammates advocate and to stand by their side to cheer them on at every turn.”

Jacobson and Helman expressed pride in the team as well, particularly for their countless hours of preparation. “These women worked very hard and are incredibly talented,” Jacobson said. “I know they will all go on to do amazing things in courtrooms.”

The American Association for Justice

The mission of the American Association for Justice is to promote a fair and effective justice system—and to support the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests. AAJ seeks to inspire excellence in trial advocacy through training and education for both law students and practicing attorneys. The association accomplishes this goal in part by sponsoring the Student Trial Advocacy Competition, an annual nationwide mock trial competition. The competition is an exceptional opportunity for law students to develop and practice their trial advocacy skills before distinguished members of the bar and bench.