Pictured from left to right: Coach Matthew L. Baldwin, Coach Anthony C. Hevia ‘07, Joseph P. Glace (3L), Nisha Mohammed (3L), Marc Schmulian (4L), Julian V. Stroleny (4L), Professor H. Scott Fingerhut, and Professor H.T. Smith.
This past weekend in Washington, D.C., the FIU Law Trial Team – composed of students Joe Glace (3L), Nisha Mohammed (3L), Marc Schmulian (4L), and Julian Stroleny (4L) – won first place at the 16th Annual National White Collar Crime Mock Trial Invitational, sponsored by Georgetown Law and the Georgetown University Law Center Barristers’ Council.
From 20 of the top trial advocacy programs across the country, the FIU Trial Team won all five rounds in the competition, defeating the University of Houston, Fordham University, and Barry University in the preliminary rounds. They entered the semi-final round undefeated and as the second-ranked squad, where they defeated the University of Houston once again, and then William & Mary in the final round.
This year’s tournament featured allegations of straw contributions, illegal money orders, a mayoral campaign, and the candidate’s alleged honest services fraud in accepting a bribe to change her position to favor a casino referendum on the same ballot.
This was FIU Law’s first appearance and very first invitation to this prestigious tournament.
“Without question, our students fought like champions. But more importantly, they advocated with passion and principle — our Program hallmarks — and demonstrated to themselves, and to the nation, the deep sense of restorative justice and personal empowerment, on behalf of client and cause, that is FIU’s very special brand, as we continue to cultivate the next generation of great legal storytellers,” said Professor H.T. Smith, Director of the Trial Advocacy Program.
The White Collar Trial Team was coached by FIU Law and trial team alumnus Anthony Hevia ‘07 (former Miami-Dade prosecutor, and now an associate at Wicker, Smith, O’Hara, McCoy & Ford, P.A.), Matthew Baldwin (also a former Miami-Dade prosecutor and now an associate with Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin), and Professor H. Scott Fingerhut, Assistant Director of the Trial Advocacy Program.
