Mission Statement
The Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute is a student run
co-curricular organization that teaches trial advocacy techniques
through lectures, practices and competitions. Started in
2003, the Institute was born from the union of the Criminal Law
Institute and the Civil Trial Institute and is named after the late
Frank S. Polestino, a distinguished professor and faculty
advisor for the Criminal Law Institute. It is the goal of the
Institute to raise the level of advocacy at St. John’s University
School of Law.
In fulfilling that goal, the Institute is host to many annual
events including the J. Walter McKenna Forum, Advocate in the
Spotlight Symposium, a National Civil Rights Trial Competition, the
Charles M. Sparracio Criminal Trial Competition, the Honorable
Edward J. Hart Civil Trial Competition, First Year Trial
Competition, Casenote Competition with the New York State Bar
Association Criminal Law Newsletter. The Institute also sends
advocates from its National Trial Advocates Team to compete in
competitions around the country, including the prestigious NITA
Tournament of Champions, TYLA National Trial Competition and the
ATLA Student Trial Competition, among many others.
For more information on Frank S. Polestino, view his
biography.