Tatiana Terry of Campbell Law School Wins the 2019 Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition

WACO -

Tatiana Terry of Campbell University's Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law was declared the winner of "Top Gun X," Baylor Law's special tenth anniversary edition of the Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition. Terry persuaded an all-star jury of experienced trial attorneys and former Top Gun champions to return a verdict in her favor in the intense final round, narrowly beating out runner-up Craig Shirley of Samford University's Cumberland School of Law. In addition to bragging rights as 'Top Gun,' Terry takes home the grand prize of $10,000.

Terry reviews a document with expert witness Professor Joe Donndelinger of Baylor University's School of Engineering. Presiding judge, the Honorable Barbara M.G. Lynn, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, in the background.

"This competition is tremendous… there's a lot of sacrifice that goes into this moment. I've been wishing it, hoping it, praying about it for two years," stated the 2019 Top Gun Tatiana Terry, who attended Baylor Law's Academy of the Advocate in St Andrews Scotland in 2018. "I've always envisioned myself as a trial lawyer and this competition is made for people like me."

Celebrating its tenth year, Baylor Law's Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition is the most challenging invitation-only mock trial tournament in the country. The best advocates from the nation's top sixteen trial advocacy schools compete head-to-head in the winner-take-all tournament.As the host, Baylor Law School does not compete. As part of the special "Top Gun X," this year's tenth-year anniversary event, Baylor Law worked with Baylor University Museum Studies Graduate Students on "An Exhibit of Exhibits" - museum-quality displays of important facts, photos, and exhibits of each of the previous nine competitions.

"We started Top Gun in 2010 to be an exceptional competition that uniquely challenges the most successful mock trial competitors in the country," said Gerald Powell, Master Teacher and The Abner V. McCall Professor of Evidence at Baylor Law. "Top Gun gives law student advocates a chance to not only compete against the very best and most talented of their peers," continued Powell. "But thanks to our great friends at Naman, Howell Smith & Lee, the Top Gun, the best advocate at the competition will also leave with a $10,000 prize."

View Additional Photos of the Competition Here

The Top Gun competition distinguishes itself from other mock trials with its innovative rules and challenging surprise changes and additions over the course of the competition. Unlike most mock trial competitions, participants cannot prepare for the case prior to the start of the competition. Upon arriving at Baylor Law, the advocates are given a brief video introduction, a case file, and only 24 hours to prepare both sides of the case before the first rounds begin. Case packets contain carefully prepared depositions, records, photographs, and videos. Witnesses are played by Baylor Law students, faculty, and friends, and the competitors have only a short period of time to prepare them for each round.

The presiding judges in the semi-final round of the competition were Magistrate Judge Christine A. Nowak of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and Magistrate Judge Christopher H. Steger of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The presiding judge in the final round was the honorable Barbara M.G. Lynn, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Product Liability - A Real World Situation

This year's fictitious case, with facts created by faculty and staff at Baylor Law and faculty from Baylor University's School of Engineering, was titled SARAH GWYNETH DAY, Plaintiff v. AMERICAN TRIATHLON ASSOCIATION, INC. AND TEIXEIRA CYCLING CORPORATION, Defendants.

Finalist Craig Shirley of Samford University's Cumberland School of Law with Professor of Law Laura Hernández, playing the role of Teixeira Cycling Corporation's CEO.

Sarah Day, expertly played by Baylor Law's Dean Leah Teague, filed a products liability suit against Teixeira Cycling Corporation and American Triathlon Association, Inc. Ms. Day was a competitive triathlete. While competing in the Doris Miller Memorial Xtremis Triathlon in Waco, Texas, Day successfully completed the swimming and running portions. However, she was injured shortly after beginning the biking portion, the final portion of the triathlon. Day alleged that Teixeira defectively designed, manufactured, and sold the bike she used for the triathlon. Specifically, she alleged that the use of an open fork design on her bike was defective and that this defective design caused her to fall from the bike and sustain serious injuries. Teixeira asserted that Sarah Day's accident was caused by her own negligence and the negligent course design of the American Triathlon Association (ATA). ATA and Sarah Day settled out of court. In the final round, on Sunday, June 9th, Tatiana Terry of Campbell Law School represented the plaintiff, Sarah Day, and Craig Shirley of Cumberland Law represented the defendant, Teixeira Cycling Corp.

Another unique aspect of the Top Gun Competition is the use of real-world partners and contributors in the case. In this year's fictitious case, Clinical Associate Professor at Baylor University's School of Engineering, and experienced mechanical engineer, Joe Donndelinger, utilized his extensive design experience to create a realistic engineering analysis of the design of the front fork of the bike in question. Access to the School of Engineering's 3D printers allowed Prof. Donndelinger to produce 3D printed versions of the front fork in question – and that of an 'improved' design – for use by advocates throughout the competition.

Cycling experts from Bicycle World in Waco made appearances at Baylor Law as well – volunteering their time to inform the case file drafters and the competitors of the ins-and-outs of cycling and to discuss how the bikes in the case work. Bicycle World also lent Baylor Law several bikes for testing and provided a bike for the final round.

The Top Gun X National Mock Trial Competition was underwritten by Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee, PLLC, and sponsored by Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial. Thank you to LitSoftware's TrialPad for their support during the competition.

Top Gun X Champion and Recognized Advocates

Champion

Tatiana Terry, Campbell University's Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law

Finalist

Craig Shirley, Samford University's Cumberland School of Law

Semifinalists

Kyle Decamp, UCLA School of Law

Imokhai Okolo, University of Akron School of Law

Professionalism Award Winner

Greg Dachko, Temple University Beasley School of Law

Technology Award Winner

Kian Khajooei, UCLA School of Law

Top Gun X Final Round Jurors (Competition Judges)