Justin Fuller ’25 Named Academic All-American Trial Advocate

Earlier this month, the National Association of Legal Advocacy Educators named Justin Fuller ’25 an Academic All-American Trial Advocate. The honor recognizes Fuller’s standout performance in mock trial competitions as a member of the Law School’s Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute (PTAI), his leadership impact as PTAI’s Executive Director, and his academic achievements at St. John’s Law.

Fuller’s individual recognition comes in a year when PTAI ascended to the number four spot in the 2025 Gavel Rankings of national trial advocacy programs, based on interscholastic competition results. Fourth is the highest that St. John’s Law has ever ranked, and marks a jump of 14 spots from last year’s ranking. The ranking is a point of pride for Fuller, who attributes his success in and beyond the mock trial courtroom to his PTAI community.

Fuller first experienced that community as a 1L. “My TA, Camille Perbost ’24, and my career counselor both encouraged me to participate in an internal competition for first-year students,” he explains. “As I prepared, competition coaches Ashley Purkey ’23 and Victoria Rubino ’23 were generous with their time and talents. I was eager to learn everything I could from them, and they were happy to oblige. The thrill of competing solidified my desire to be a courtroom attorney and, after the 1L competition, making it onto PTAI became a top priority.”

Fulfilling that ambition, as an upper-level student Fuller embraced the opportunities PTAI afforded, excelling in regional and national competitions and joining the executive board. “PTAI provides the best forums for testing your trial skills against law students from around the country,” he says. “It's also a place where incredible bonds are formed. Law School is competitive. But, in PTAI, we’re a team: the success of one student doesn’t come at the expense of another. We’re also fortunate to have coaches, including St. John’s Law alumni, who are seasoned trial attorneys. They are wonderful mentors who are fully invested in each student's development.”

Inspired by his PTAI mentors, Fuller was happy to help others build their trial advocacy knowledge and skills. “In my 3L year, I had the privilege of co-counseling with three incredible 2L advocates: Stephanie Besen, Isaiah Dickerson and Elizabeth Sack,” he shares. “They each put in so many hours of hard work. Having a front row seat to their success was an incredible gift—one I’ll never forget.”

Just as it informed his experience as a St. John’s Law student, PTAI also shaped Fuller’s career path. “I knew I wanted to be a trial attorney, and PTAI made it possible,” he says. “In my interview with the Legal Aid Society's Homicide Defense Task Force for my 2L internship, the only thing they wanted to talk about was my mock trial experience. When I applied for a full-time position with Legal Aid's Criminal Defense Practice a year later, they asked me to prepare a 10-minute closing argument. Thanks to the incomparable training I received from PTAI's talented alumni coaches, I knew exactly what to do.”

This fall, Fuller starts full time at Legal Aid, achieving his dream of advocating on behalf of New Yorkers faced with the potential of losing their liberty. As he looks forward to this next chapter in his trial advocacy journey, he is grateful for PTAI and what it continues to offer St. John’s Law students. “I’d recommend PTAI to anyone who enjoys the thrill of competition and the unique bonds of friendship that can only be formed while working toward a common goal with other fiercely talented competitors,” he says. “It can be life changing.”