SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Twenty top law students from 10 leading law schools will compete in San Francisco Sept. 17–20 in a fast-paced trial competition designed to test courtroom skills, adaptability and strategic decision-making under pressure.
The 5th Annual Flash Trial Competition will take place at the JAMS Conference Center in San Francisco. Hosted by UC Berkeley School of Law, the competition brings together some of the nation’s top law students for an intensive test of trial advocacy, preparation and courtroom adaptability.
Unlike traditional moot court and trial competitions, competitors receive their case files just 45 to 60 minutes before each round. They must rapidly analyze the facts, develop a theory of the case, prepare witnesses and exhibits, and then walk into the courtroom ready to argue.
As part of the competition, teams will again have access to Eve Legal, a cutting-edge legal AI platform, building on last year’s inaugural introduction of AI into the Flash Trial experience. Competitors will have an opportunity to learn how the technology works before the competition and will have access to the platform during the rounds as they prepare their cases. The experience gives students hands-on exposure to a tool increasingly becoming part of the modern lawyer’s toolkit, while allowing organizers to explore how, and whether, AI influences preparation and trial strategy under the intense time constraints of a Flash Trial.
The participating law schools are:
- Baylor University School of Law
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law
- Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
- University of Denver Sturm College of Law
- Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
- University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
- University of South Carolina School of Law
- UC Davis School of Law
- UC Law San Francisco
- UCLA School of Law
The Flash Trial format is also gaining traction beyond law school competitions, such as ABOTA using it to train young lawyers and more law schools and legal organizations adopting it. “The courtroom is changing,” said Spencer Pahlke, who also teaches at Berkeley Law, serves as Co-Director of the school’s External Trial Competition Program, and coaches several trial advocacy teams. “Events like this give us a front-row seat to what’s next.”
Co-sponsors of this year’s competition include Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger; JAMS; Eve Legal; Berkeley Law; Vartabedian Katz Hester Haynes; and MG + M.
