White Collar Crime Invitational
November 8-10, 2024
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 August 2, 2024 at 8PM EST. There are two steps to apply:
- Complete the 2024 Application Form; and
- Either upload your program’s resume as a PDF to the application form or email your program’s resume to whitecollargeorgetown@gmail.com.
Judges
If you are interested in judging rounds in the 2024 competition, please fill out this form or contact the White Collar Directors 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.
2024 White Collar Crime Invitational Competitors
2024 Results
Champion: University of Texas School of Law
Runner-up: Florida State University College of Law
Semi-Finalist: UC Law San Francisco
Semi-Finalist: Florida International University College of Law
Participants
American University Washington College of Law
Case Western Reserve Law Ault Mock Trial
Duke Law Mock Trial
Emory Law Mock Trial
Florida International University College of Law
Florida State University College of Law
Harvard Law School Mock Trial Association
NYU Law
Recent University School of Law
Scalia Law Trial Advocacy Association
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
UC Law San Francisco
University of Texas School of Law
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
William & Mary Law School Fordham University
Past White Collar Crime Invitational Finalists
2023
Champion: University of Texas School of Law
Runner-up: Villanova National Trial Team
Semi- Finalist: NYU School of Law
Semi- Finalist: Case Western Reserve University School of Law
2022
Champion: University of Texas School of Law
Runner-up: Florida International University College of Law
Semi- Finalist: St. Thomas University School of Law
Semi- Finalist: George Washington University Law School
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
Semi-Finalist: New York University School of Law
Semi-Finalist: Fordham University School of Law
2018
Champion: New York University School of Law
Runner-up: University of Florida Levin College of Law
Semi-Finalist: University of Maryland Carey School of Law
Semi-Finalist: Harvard Law School
2017
Champion: New York University School of Law
Runner-up: Harvard Law School
Semi-Finalist: University of Texas at Austin School of Law
Semi-Finalist: Loyola University Chicago School of Law
2016
Champion: New York University School of Law
Runner-up: Chicago-Kent College of Law
Semi-Finalist: University of Houston Law Center
Semi-Finalist: William and Mary Law School
2015
Champion: University of Texas at Austin School of Law
Runner-up: Chicago-Kent College of Law
Semi-Finalist: Emory University School of Law
Semi-Finalist: New York University School of Law
