BLSA wins Mid-Atlantic Region of the Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – This past weekend, the Penn State Law in University Park Black Law Students Association Mock Trial Team won the Mid-Atlantic Region Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition. 

The team is one of 18 teams in the country that have advanced to the national competition held in Memphis on March 16-20. The team won both of its preliminary rounds and then beat the University of Maryland in the semi-finals, and Washington & Lee in the finals.

"We’re so proud of our BLSA Mock Trial team continuing an amazing tradition of excellent advocacy," said Penn State Law professor and Associate Dean for Research and Partnerships Dara E. Purvis.

The team is comprised of Daijah Blackburn, Leilani Brown, Michelle Miles, and Taylor Washington and is coached by Penn State Law alumni Kelsi Robinson ('21), Tyla Swinton ('21), and Amber Bynum ('20). Christopher French, Penn State Law professor and director of the trial advocacy program said, "I could not be more proud of the team or its coaches. This is an outstanding achievement."

Additional awards from the weekend include:

• Penn State Law won MABLSA Chapter of the Year (Medium Chapter)
• Jordan Brown won 1L of the year for MABLSA (Mid-Atlantic Black Law Students Association)
• Tiffany Onyeze, 1L, was elected Vice-Chair of MABLSA
• Taylor Washington, 2L, was elected Chair of MABLSA