By Matt Flumerfelt

The Valdosta Daily Times

LAKELAND — Lakeland resident Derrick Connell is a member of the Stetson University College of Law Mock Trial Team that recently won first place in the eighth annual National Civil Trial Competition. Started in 2002, the NCTC is universally regarded as one of the top-tier law school trial advocacy competitions in the United States, according to www.forbes.com.

Early elimination rounds of the Nov. 12-14 tournament were held inside the courtrooms at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, according to www.stetson.com. The semi-final and final rounds were argued at Loyola's Albert H. Girardi Advocacy Center.

Stetson’s trial team of, which included Connell, performed better than teams from 15 of the top-ranked advocacy programs in the country. Connell was named Best Advocate in both the preliminary and final rounds, a first for the competition, Lee Coppock, one of his team coaches, said.

Students on each four-member team were required to argue both sides of a hypothetical civil suit based on an actual case in which a law school student sued his law school for misrepresenting its accreditation status.

“We won every round that we argued,” Connell said. “Each round we alternated from defense to plaintiff, arguing a different side each time. I was what we here at Stetson call the ‘flipper,’ which means I argued both sides of the case. I had a different partner on each side. I was the closer for both the plaintiff and defense.”

As the winner, the Stetson team will receive the traveling trophy for the following year, Connell said. A small plaque with Stetson listed alongside past winners will be added to the side of the trophy, he said. The team also earned a trophy for the school, and Connell received the two Best Advocate plaques.

Connell said that State Court and Federal Court judges sat on the bench during the rounds, and some of the jurors, who scored the rounds, consisted of famed attorneys like Tom Meserrea and Thomas Girardi. The competition is set up to be as close to an actual trial as possible, Coppock said.

“I went to L.A. to win the tournament, to win as a team, to win for my school. The best advocate awards were just icing on the cake,” Connell said. “Don't get me wrong, it’s a great feeling to have won both Best Advocate awards, but it is always about the team for me, and winning a national championship for Stetson. I had amazing teammates and excellent coaches. I feel so privileged to be a part of something as great as the Stetson Trial Team.”

This is the first time Stetson has won this particular competition, Coppock said. Connell was also on the winning American Association of Justice National Trial Team last semester. Stetson’s team won both a regional in Rhode Island and then the national, beating out 264 schools from around the country in that competition. He was also on the winning Moot Court Team this past summer, he said.

Connell attributes the success of the team to the quality of his teammates.

“I have met and become close friends with such amazing people here,” he said. “When you’re in one of these competitions you have to be able to look over at your teammate and know they are truly backing you, that they are anticipating your next move and are there to help you. And that is what I have had each step of the way.”

Stetson is considered the No. 1 trial school in the country, Coppock said. It is the only law school in the nation ever to win all five national level trial competitions in one academic year.

Coppock teaches trial advocacy and advanced trial skills at Stetson. He is a mock trial fellow and responsible for Stetson’s mock trial program. He said Connell, who graduates in December, is “exceptionally” good at advocacy and has a promising legal career ahead of him.