First-time Campbell Law advocates compete at First Chair National Trial Competition

Campbell Law School advocates Keriann Rodriguez ’27 and David Olshinski ‘26 had a good run at the First Chair National Trial Competition in Long Island, New York, on Sept. 11-14, 2025.

That’s according to Competitive Trial Advocacy Director Rene Shekmer.

“Keriann and David are brand new on the moot court team and this was their first competition,” she explained. “While they did not make it out of the preliminary rounds, they won six out of 12 ballots (two ballots per round). As for the rounds, they ended up with two wins, two ties and two losses.”

The team was proudly coached by alumnae Maria Hawkins ‘12 and Sydney Kraft ‘24. 

“David has been talking about how much fun this is,” Kraft commented during the competition.

The First Chair National Trial Competition is an annual invitational mock trial event, co-hosted by Hofstra, San Diego and UCLA law schools, that is sponsored by the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office and the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County. The competition, which is held at the Nassau County Courthouse, is unique because it requires each law student to advocate for an entire case, handling both sides of the case in a realistic trial environment. This means each student handles a solo trial from start to finish.

First Chair requires each student to try a case entirely on their own, without a co-counsel. The goal of the competition is to develop and refine the individual trial skills of law students by requiring them to present a complete trial from opening statements to closing arguments, according to the competition website.