The White Collar Crime Invitational is a three-day trial advocacy competition hosted by the Georgetown University Law Center Barristers’ Council. It features a federal criminal trial focused on white collar issues. Past problems have addressed issues such as: insurance fraud, honest services fraud, lying to federal investigators, and violations of the securities laws.

Sixteen of the nation’s top trial advocacy programs journey to Washington for the competition, which is judged by legal professionals from the greater D.C. Area. The competition will be held at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

Application Process

Applications are due July 20, 2023 at 8PM EST. There are two steps to apply:

1. Complete the 2023 Application Form; and
2. Either upload your program’s resume as a PDF to the application form O email your program’s resume to whitecollargeorgetown@gmail.com.

Judges

If you are interested in judging rounds in the 2023 competition, please contact the White Collar Director via email.

Competition Format

The competition consists of three guaranteed preliminary rounds, followed by a semi-final and final round. During each mock trial each student advocate is expected to conduct the direct examination of a witness, the cross examination of a witness, and to present either the opening statement or the closing argument of the case. The advocates will also be evaluated on their professionalism in making routine objections and handling exhibits. A judge and a “jury” of experienced trial attorneys will score the performances. Each trial should last about three hours, followed by a short period of comment by the evaluators. Each team will be provided with their evaluations at the ceremony on Saturday evening. In the final round, teams will prosecute or defend as follows: if the teams have met before, the teams will switch sides; otherwise, a coin toss will determine the assignment of sides.

Competitor Information

Each team must consist of four law students, i.e., students who are enrolled, in good standing, currently attending the law school which they represent, and working towards a J.D. degree or its equivalent. A faculty or other advisor should accompany each team. In each trial round, two students will be advocates and two students will be witnesses for their own trial team. A student may be an advocate or a witness in any trial but cannot be both advocate and witness in the same trial; i.e., “permanent witnesses” are permitted. This choice is for each participating team to make.

2022 White Collar Crime Invitational Competitors

2022 Results

Champion: University of Texas School of Law
Runner-up: Florida International University College of Law
Semi-Finalist: St. Thomas University College of Law
Semi-Finalist: George Washington University Law School

Participants

University of Texas School of Law
Florida International University College of Law
William & Mary Law School
Brooklyn Law School
University of Florida Levin College of Law
University of Illinois – Chicago School of Law
Fordham University School of Law
University of Michigan Law School
St. Thomas University College of Law
Emory University School of Law
University of Houston Law Center
George Washington University Law School
Villanova University School of Law
Harvard Law School
St. John’s University School of Law
American University College of Law

Past White Collar Crime Invitational Finalists

2021

Champion: Quinnipiac University School of Law
Runner-up: University of Florida Levin College of Law
Semi- Finalist: St. Thomas University School of Law
Semi- Finalist: William & Mary School of Law

2020

Champion: New York University School of Law
Runner-up: Emory University School of Law
Semi-Finalist: William & Mary Law School
Semi-Finalist: University of Illinois College of Law

2019

Champion: University of Florida Levin College of Law
Runner-up: Emory University School of Law
Semifinalist: New York University School of Law
Semifinalist: Fordham University School of Law

2018

Champion: New York University School of Law
Runner-up: University of Florida Levin College of Law
Semifinalist: University of Maryland Carey School of Law
Semifinalist: Harvard Law School

2017

Champion: New York University School of Law
Runner-up: Harvard Law School
Semifinalist: University of Texas at Austin School of Law
Semifinalist: Loyola University Chicago School of Law

2016

Champion: New York University School of Law
Runner-up: Chicago-Kent College of Law
Semifinalist: University of Houston Law Center
Semifinalist: William and Mary Law School

2015

Champion: University of Texas at Austin School of Law
Runner-up: Chicago-Kent College of Law
Semifinalist: Emory University School of Law
Semifinalist: New York University School of Law