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St. John's Law ranks #8 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.
Catch up with PTAI in the latest edition of The Advocate, PTAI's bi-annual newsletter.
- Winter 2019 (PDF)
- Fall 2018 (PDF)
- Spring 2018 (PDF)
- Fall 2019 (PDF)
Our Trial Competitions
Throughout the academic year, we 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 2017-2018:
- Champions – FSU College of Law Mock Trial Competition
- Champions – Quinnipiac Trial Advocacy Competition
- Finalists – Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
- 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
- Semi-Finalist – TYLA Regionals
- Best Advocate – FSU College of Law Mock Trial Competition
- Best Advocate – South Texas Mock Trial Challenge Competition
- Best Closing – TYLA Regional
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 Dean Cunningham at [email protected]
Volunteer Opportunities
We also need coaches, evaluators, and judges for our internal competitions. If you are an alumna/us interested in voluntering, please contact Meghan McLoughlin at [email protected]
2019-2020 PTAI Executive Board
PTAI’s executive board plans and organizes competitions and other activities throughout the year.
Faculty Advisor
Larry Cunningham
Executive Director
Matthew Phillips
Managing Director
Lauren Bisogno
Externals Director
Victoria Benalcazar
Internals Director
Meghan McLoughlin
Special Events
Jillian Gardner
Alumni Chair
Ashley Rocque
Associate Board
Will Healy
Hunter Igoe
Eric Prezioso
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
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 2019 Competition
The 2019 PJJ Competition will be held from October 26 through October 28, 2019. On Saturday, October 26th, two preliminary rounds will be held at the Nassau County Courthouse. On Sunday, October 27th, the quarter-final and semi-final rounds will be held at St. John's University School of Law. The final round, on October 28th, will be held at St. John's University School of Law in the Belson Moot Court Room.
Invitations for the competition will be sent to schools the first week of May. Applications are due by June 1, 2019. Schools will be selected to compete no later than June 15, 2019. Once selected, a payment of $450.00 will be due by July 1, 2019.
Competition Packet (updated October 8, 2019)
Clarification Questions and Answers (October 4, 2019)
Contact Information
If you have any questions about the 2019 Peter James Johnson '49 Memorial National Civil Rights Trial Competition, please contact: PTAI Special Events Director Jillian Gardner at [email protected].
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.