St. Thomas Law Wins Zehmer Mock Trial Title
St. Thomas University College of Law claimed first place at the 30th Annual Honorable E. Earle Zehmer Memorial Mock Trial Competition for the second straight year.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Criminal Justice
St. Thomas University College of Law won first place at the 30th Annual Honorable E. Earle Zehmer Memorial Mock Trial Competition, held November 6-8, 2026, at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. The team defeated Barry University School of Law 3-2 in the final round, marking its second consecutive first-place finish.
Why it matters
The competition gives Florida law students hands-on courtroom experience in trial advocacy, drawing teams from law schools across the state. Repeat victories by a single school highlight the program's continued role in preparing students for litigation careers.
The final round was presided over by the Honorable Jay Cohen and concluded with a 3-2 verdict for the St. Thomas defense team. The competition itself concluded November 8, 2026, with no further rounds scheduled.
The players
St. Thomas University College of Law
A private law school in Miami Gardens, Florida, whose mock trial team won the competition for the second consecutive year.
Barry University School of Law
The law school whose team lost the final round to St. Thomas by a 3-2 verdict.
Florida Justice Association Research & Education Foundation
The organization that hosted the mock trial competition and supports legal education across Florida.
The details
Fourteen teams from law schools across Florida participated in the event hosted by the Florida Justice Association Research & Education Foundation. Gabriella Martinez was named Final Round Best Advocate, Juan Estevez earned Best Advocate for the preliminary rounds, and Bella Tambornino of the University of Miami School of Law received the inaugural Best Witness award.
Timeline
1996: Jacksonville attorney Wayne Hogan founded the competition.
November 6-8, 2026: The competition was held at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld.
November 8, 2026: St. Thomas won first place in the final round.
Criminal Justice Pipeline
The Zehmer competition, founded in 1996 by Jacksonville attorney Wayne Hogan, has run for three decades as a training ground for Florida trial lawyers. St. Thomas's back-to-back wins extend a pattern in which a single program repeatedly produces top advocates for the state's courtrooms.
Orlando-area residents interested in the legal profession can follow the training pipeline that feeds local courtrooms through Florida law schools. The competition shows how students in the state are developing trial skills that apply directly to future courtroom work.
The takeaway
Trial advocacy is built through repeated competition, and a consistent program producing winners over multiple years shows the value of sustained practice. Students aiming for litigation careers can look to such events for early courtroom experience.
Further reading
For more on the legal system and courtroom processes, explore Criminal Justice coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
