St. John's Law ranks #17 in the Trial Competition Performance Rankings!
The Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute (PTAI) is the Law School’s trial advocacy/mock trial program. Since our start in 2001, we've offered St. John's Law students a singular range of opportunities—from trial training programs to internal and external trial competitions—to build their courtroom advocacy skills and to learn to think, act, and speak like trial attorneys.
Named in honor of Professor Frank S. Polestino, who taught trial skills to hundreds of students at St. John's during his long tenure here, PTAI is committed to showcasing our students' extraordinary talents and interests in trial work.
Trial Competitions & Events
Throughout the academic year, our advocates participate in national and regional competitions around the country. Our competition teams have excelled in the last several years. Here are just some of our notable achievements from our most recent season, 2022-2023:
- Finalists: Texas Young Lawyers Association Regional Trial Competition; Quinnipiac ABA Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition; Hofstra Medical Legal Mock Trial Competition
- Semi-Finalists:Trial & Tribulations National Trial Competition
- Quarter-finalists: Queens District Attorney's Office Mock Trial Competition; Capitol City Challenge; Buffalo-Niagra Invitational Mock Trial Competition; Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. Invitational Trial Competition
PTAI’s annual internal competitions and events include the:
- Charles M. Sparacio Criminal Internal Trial Competition
- Peter James Johnson National Civil Rights Trial Competition
- Edward Hart Civil Internal Trial Competition
- McKenna Forum
- Advocate in the Spotlight Forum
- Brian Peterson Memorial First-Year Trial Competition
Our Coaches
An integral part of PTAI's success is our coaching roster of St. John's Law alumni and others. They bring their skills and insights as experienced trial attorneys to teach PTAI students how to effectively try a case—from introducing evidence and formulating a case theory to cross-examining key witnesses. If you are interested in coaching our external competition teams, please contact Maria Rivero at [email protected]
Volunteer Opportunities
We also need coaches, evaluators, and judges for our internal competitions. If you are an alumna/us interested in volunteering, please contact Natalie Mishkin at [email protected]
2023-2024 PTAI Executive Board
PTAI's executive board plans and organizes competitions and other activities throughout the year.
Executive Director
Krista Apostle
Managing Director
Robert Nikont
Director of External Competitions
Emily Trumble
Director of Internal Competitions
Natalie Mishkin
Director of Special Events
John Di Leo
Associate Director of Alumni Relations
Cole Eiber
Associate Director of Communications and Records
Daasebre Nana Asante
Associate Director of Recruitment and Outreach
Naya Brown-Yohay
Associate Director of Inter-Organization Events
Joel Cardoz
PTAI Advisor
Maria Rivero
Contact Us
PTAI graduates have gone on to rewarding careers as assistant district attorneys, public defenders, private criminal defense lawyers, and as litigators. To learn more about participating in, and supporting, the Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute at St. John's Law, please contact us.
Learn More About PTAI
Peter James Johnson '49 Memorial National Civil Rights Trial Competition
PTAI is proud to sponsor the Peter James Johnson '49 Memorial National Civil Rights Trial Competition every year.
About the Competition
The only national civil rights trial competition in the country, the annual Peter James Johnson Competition offers law students from up to 16 law schools throughout the country an opportunity to try a civil rights case in an actual courtroom setting before prominent jurists and trial attorneys. The competition was renamed the Peter James Johnson '49 National Civil Rights Trial Competition in 2008 in honor of Peter James Johnson '49, a St. John’s Law graduate who dedicated his legal career to excellence in the practice of law.
The 2023 Competition
The 2023 PJJ Competition will be held in Fall 2023.
Additional information regarding invitations and applications will be released this summer.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about the 2023 Peter James Johnson '49 Memorial National Civil Rights Trial Competition, please contact PTAI Director of Special Events John Di Leo at [email protected]
As a nationally recognized trial team, membership in PTAI is a prestigious distinction. Tryouts take place at the end of the spring semester. Students who are invited to join PTAI are offered a seat in either the Pre-Session or Fall PTAI Trial Advocacy course. Those who receive a seat in either course have the potential to compete externally in national and regional tournaments.
Catch up with PTAI in the latest edition of The Advocate, PTAI's bi-annual newsletter.
2021-2022
Finalists – National All-Star Bracket Challenge
Semi-Finalists – Queen’s District Attorney’s Office Mock Trial Competition
Quarter-finalists – TYLA Regional
Quarter-finalists – Syracuse
2020-2021
Finalists – TYLA Regional Competition
Top 8 - National All-Star Bracket Challenge
Semi-finalists – Syracuse
Sweet 16 – Capitol City Challenge
2019-2020
Quarterfinalists - TYLA Regional Competition
Champions – Regional Labor and Employment Law Trial Advocacy Competition
Octofinalists – Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
Finalists – Quinnipiac ABA Criminal Justice Trial Competition
Semi-finalists – Hofstra Medical-Legal Mock Trial Tournament
Semi-finalists - Queens District Attorney’s Mock Trial Competition
Quarterfinalists – Mockingbird Challenge National Trial Competition
Quarterfinalists – Battle of the Experts National Mock Trial Competition
2018-2019
Octofinalists – South Texas College of Law Mock Trial Challenge
Finalists – AAJ STAC Regional Competition
Semifinalists – TYLA Regional Competition
2017-2018
Champions – FSU College of Law Mock Trial Competition
Champions – Quinnipiac Trial Advocacy Competition
Finalists – Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
National Finalists – American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition
Semi-Finalist – GGU Mock Trial Competition
Semi-Finalist – Queens District Attorney’s Office Mock Trial Competition
Semi-Finalist – South Texas Mock Trial Challenge Championship
Regional Semi-Finalist – TYLA Regionals
2016-2017
Champions - FSU College of Law Mock Trial Competition
Champions - TYLA Regional Competition
Champions - Quinnipiac Trial Advocacy Competition
Finalists- Queens District Attorney's Mock Trial Competition
Semi-Finalist- ABA National Criminal Justice Trial Competition
Semi-Finalist- Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
2015-2016
Champions - Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
Regional Semi-Finals- TYLA National Trial Competition
Semi-Finalist - ABA National Criminal Justice Trial Competition
2014-2015
Regional Champions - TYLA National Trial Competition and Winner of the Tiffany Cup
Regional Champions - AAJ National Mock Trial Competition
National Quarterfinalists - AAJ National Mock Trial Competition
Champions - Quinnipiac Trial Advocacy Competition
Champions - Pace Round Robin Mock Trial Competition
Finalist - ABA National Criminal Justice Trial Competition
Semi-Finalist - Georgetown White Collar Crime Invitational
Semi-Finalist - Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
Semi-Finalist - Queens DA Mock Trial Competition
2013-2014
Finalists - Quinnipiac Trial Advocacy Competition
Regional Champions - TYLA National Trial Competition
Semi-Finalists - Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. Invitational Trial Competition
2012-2013
Regional Semi-Finalists - AAJ National Mock Trial Competition
Semi-Finalists - Costello National Criminal Law Trial Competition
Quarter-Finalists- Capitol City Challenge Mock Trial Competition
Regional Quarter-Finalists - TYLA National Trial Competition
Semi-Finalists - NITA Tournament of Champions
Finalists- Buffalo - Niagara Invitational Mock Trial Competition
Semi-Finalists - Labor and Employment Law Competition
Finalists- Estrella Trial Advocacy Competition
2011-2012
National Quarter-Finalists - TYLA National Trial Competition
Regional Champions - TYLA National Trial Competition
Regional Champions - AAJ National Mock Trial Competition
Finalists - ABA Criminal Justice Mock Trial Competition
Semi-Finalists - NITA Tournament of Champions
Semi-Finalists - National Ethics Competition
Semi-Finalists - Labor and Employment Law Competition
Semi-Finalists - Peter James Johnson National Civil Rights Competition
2010-2011
Regional Semi-Finalists - AAJ National Mock Trial Competition
Regional Champions - TYLA National Trial Competition
Champions - Buffalo - Niagara Invitational Mock Trial Competition
Regional Finalists - ABA Labor and Employment Law Trial Competition
Regional Semi-Finalists - ABA Labor and Employment Law Trial Competition
Semi-Finalists - Puerto Rico Criminal Justice Mock Trial Competition
2009-2010
National Champions - NITA Tournament of Champions
National Champions - ABA National Criminal Justice Mock Trial Competition
Finalists- Buffalo - Niagara Invitational Mock Trial Competition
Regional Quarter-Finalists - TYLA National Trial Competition
2008-2009
Regional Semi-Finalists - AAJ National Mock Trial Competition
Regional Finalists - ABA Labor and Employment Law Trial Competition
Regional Semi-Finalists - ABA Labor and Employment Law Trial Competition
2007-2008
National Champions - NITA Tournament of Champions
National Finalists - ABA National Criminal Justice Mock Trial Competition
Regional Champions - AAJ National Mock Trial Competition
Regional Semi-Finalists - TYLA National Trial Competition
Regional Quarter-Finalists - TYLA National Trial Competition
Semi-Finalists - Puerto Rico Criminal Justice Mock Trial Competition
Semi-Finalists - Quinnipiac Criminal Justice Mock Trial Competition
Frank S. Polestino was a graduate of the New York University School of Law class of 1958 and served as a professor at St. John’s University School of Law from 1972 until his passing in 2001. He served as a long-time advisor to the Criminal Law Institute and the law school’s chapter of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Professor Polestino was the moderator for the Walter J. McKenna Forum, which annually provides a forum for the discussion of current topics in criminal law by a distinguished panel.
Before joining the law faculty, Professor Polestino served as Law Assistant in the Queens County Supreme Court and as Law Clerk for Associate Judge John F. Scileppi of the New York Court of Appeals. Prior to that, he was a partner at a New York City law Firm.
In addition to developing the Law School’s present Prosecution Clinic program, he frequently lectured on Criminal Law and Procedure for Justices of the New York Supreme Court and Judges of the Criminal Court of the city of New York, at Bar Associations, and at seminars sponsored by the Office of Court Administration. In 1994, he received the New York State Bar Association Criminal Justice Section award for Outstanding Contribution in the field of Criminal Law Education.
During his time with the law school, Professor Polestino was an inspiration and mentor to his students, and greatly respected by the faculty and outside the school.
The Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute is named in his honor.