First Tournament of the Season

This past weekend, The Rutgers University Mock Trial Association (RUMTA) A, B, and C teams all competed at their first tournament of the season. RUMTA’s A and B Team competed at George Washington University’s Habeus Hippopotamus Invitational.  At this competition A Team’s Humayoon Hashmi won a top attorney award receiving 17 ranks out of 20. B Team’s Hasin Tasneem and Veronica Bido both won top attorney awards receiving 18 ranks and 17 ranks out of 20 respectively. Both teams’ received second honorable mentions at the tournament. In the same weekend, RUMTA’s C team attended La Salle’s Brotherly Love Invitational. C Team Captain Neha Aluwalia received a top witness award with 18 ranks out of 20. C team also received an honorable mention at the invitational.

From left to right: Sunzida Ahmed, Zoe Chang, Humayoon Hashmi, Lucy Huang, Emmett Laurie, Aabha Joshi, Alice Militaru

Rutgers A team went up against mock trial teams from University of Georgia, Howard University, Georgetown University, and Patrick Henry College. Rutgers B team faced teams from The College of William and Mary, Wesleyan University, University of Cincinnati, and University of North Carolina.

From left to right: Margarita Weissman, Nandita Vasantha, Samarth Thakker, Yosan Siele, Ryan Ruffin, Hasin Tasneem, Sami Marshak, Veronica Bido

Rutgers C team also saw their fair share of competition at La Salle University when facing both teams from Drexel University and University of Delaware.

From left to right: Winnie Zhu, Ajoke Adetula, Michael Luckhowec, Christine Tran, Emma Evans, Neha Aluwalia, Kimberly Mohabeer, Michael Brestin, Laura Vorbach

Aabha Joshi, President of RUMTA, was proud of how far all the teams have come with less than a month of practice and stated, “It was our first tournament of the year, and all three teams did exceedingly well. We’re looking forward to learning from our mistakes and doing even better at tournaments in the future”.

This year RUMTA argues in the criminal case State of Midlands v. Jordan Ryder, an involuntary manslaughter or aggravated murder case involving a parent accused of the death of their daughter. RUMTA thanks Head Coach Michael Roberts of Roberts & Teeter, and Assistant Coaches Bren Simonson, Esq. and Caroline Bielak, Esq.

2nd Annual Scarlet Knight Mock Trial Invitational a Success!

This weekend the Rutgers University Mock Trial Association hosted the second ever Scarlet Knight Mock Trial Invitational Tournament, building on the incredible milestone set last year. The invitational weekend was a great success, with 32 collegiate teams and over 50 volunteer lawyers and judges in attendance.

The tournament was hosted on November 17th and 18th on the College Avenue campus in New Brunswick. Competitors participated in rounds in the Academic Building and in Murray Hall in the Voorhees Mall. Not only did RUMTA host the tournament, but out very own B-Team competed in rounds against Hamilton College, University of Alabama, University of Chapel Hill-Raleigh, and University of Maryland-Baltimore. Junior Emmett Laurie received 16 ranks as defense opener and freshman Amanda Rovner received 17 ranks as defense eyewitness Hunter Cooper. Congratulations to these two, the rest of B-Team, the tournament winner Wesleyan University, and everyone who competed this weekend!

Essential to SKMTI’s success was the support from our coaches, alumni, advisers, and sponsors. The feedback received about our facilities, judging pool, and tournament staff would not have been possible without the months of hard work and dedication from everyone involved.

From left: Michael Nanchanatt, Rohit Purma, Zoe Chang, Aabha Joshi, Veronica Bido

RUMTA would like to thank our fearless Tournament Director Michael Nanchanatt, Assistant Tournament Director Zoe Chang, Judging Coordinator Veronica Bido, head coach Michael Roberts, and the Tab Room Director Rohit Purma and Tab Room Assistant Director Aabha Joshi for their hard work behind the scenes in making sure everything was running smoothly. We would also like to thank the RUMTA E-board and all of our members for their efforts during the weekend and for representing RUMTA and Rutgers with such poise. Of course, we also thank all of our alumni who returned to judge and assist, Roberts & Teeter, LLC, RAM Law LLC, the Rutgers Alumni Association, and the Middlesex County Bar Foundation. This support was crucial to SKMTI’s success for the second year running, and we look forward to working with you for future invitationals.

Looking forward, RUMTA is still kicked in high gear with the second half of the fall invitational season. This weekend, A and B-Team will be competing at Yale University’s invitational, and C-Team will be attending Penn State University’s Happy Valley Invitational.

For more information on joining the RUMTA family as a competitor, coach, or sponsor, please contact rumocktrial05@gmail.com.

Pre-Season Updates!

Three months of tournaments, hard work, and late night practices have come and gone, and Rutgers Mock Trial has kicked off preseason with flying colors. With 4 tournaments under our belt, RUMTA has been preparing in earnest for an extremely competitive spring regional.

This year’s AMTA case concerns negligence. An animal trainer is invited to appear on a talk show and bring his pet chimpanzee. During the rehearsal, the chimpanzee attacks and kills a writer on set, and the television studio and the animal trainer file suits of negligence as both parties suffered from negative publicity following the attack. RUMTA has been kept on its toes with this year’s unique countersuit and detailed case. Case changes (coming in December) are bound to make preparations for Regionals even more interesting.

This fall season opened with RUMTA’s A-Team at Columbia University’s Big Apple Invitational Tournament, where our competitors faced off against schools like Yale University and Harvard University and finished with a record of 4-4. The same weekend, B-Team and C-Team attended George Washington University’s Habeas Corpus Invitational. B-Team’s plaintiff closer and senior Emily O’Leary won an Outstanding Attorney Award, and junior Hasin Tasneem won an Outstanding Witness award for her portrayal of the plaintiff representative, Alex Grace. Aabha Joshi, sophomore and C-Team captain, also won an Outstanding Attorney Award as plaintiff closer. Congratulations to all the competitors for incredible wins that weekend!

Next, A-Team attended Tufts University's Mumbo Jumbo. Ater rounds against schools such as Brown and NYU, A-Team won first place out of 22 teams with a record of 6.5 - 2. Not only that, but A-Team Captain Mike Kleynman received an Outstanding Witness Award for his portrayal of the Plaintiff, and junior Humayoon Hashmi received an Outstanding Attorney Award as a Plaintiff Opener. Congratulations to A-Team for their amazing first-place win!

The following weekend, C-Team travelled to Philadelphia to participate in Haverford University’s Black Squirrel Invitational. The field at this tournament was extremely competitive, and after seeing rounds against schools such as the 2017 National Champions, University of Virginia, C-Team capped off an amazing weekend. They also took home another Outstanding Attorney Award for captain Aabha Joshi and an Outstanding Witness Award for Ajoke Adetula, who earned perfect ranks as a Defense character witness. Congratulations to C-Team for a stellar performance against a field of the best schools in the country!

With 3 Outstanding Witness Awards, 3 Outstanding Attorney Awards, and one First Place trophy at some of the most competitive invitationals across the country, this marks one of RUMTA’s most successful fall pre-seasons yet. Next, A-Team and B-Team are gearing up for the last and our most competitive invitational of the pre-season, the Yale University Invitational on December 2-3. C-Team will also be competing the same weekend, travelling to State College to participate in Penn State’s Happy Valley Tournament.

A huge thank you to our volunteer coaches, Michael Roberts, Rachel Holt, Zaniah Maynor, and Nicoletta Eby, for your time and dedication to this team. Another thank you to our sponsors, Roberts & Teeer, the Middlesex County Bar Foundation, RAM Law, the Rutgers Alumni Association, the RUSA Allocations Board, and the Rutgers Athletics Department. Without your support, Rutgers Mock Trial could not continue the legacy of hard work and excellence set by the competitors and coaches of years prior.

For more updates and information on becoming a competitor, coach, or sponsor, contact us at rumocktrial05@gmail.com.

Rutgers Mock Trial Places 15th at Nationals 2018!

Another record-breaking season for Rutgers Mock Trial has come to an end. After months of preparation, RUMTA's A-Team finished an incredible year at the National Championship Tournament (NCT) in Minneapolis, MN on April 20-22 and brought home an Honorable Mention trophy. Advancing to NCT is a feat only accomplished by the top 48 mock trial teams across the country. RUMTA faced the University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Haverford College, and University of Alabama over three days of intense competition. 

With a record of 6 wins, RUMTA placed 15th with an honorable mention in the St. Paul Division. RUMTA also congratulates Robert Servilio and Mike Kleynman on outstanding individual performances. Servilio earned his first All-American Witness award for his portrayal of expert witness Harper Karpis. Kleynman won two All-American Attorney awards for his work as both prosecution and defense counsel. Congratulations to both for their well-deserved awards! 

This also marks the end of a long and dedicated mock trial career for two seniors: Katie Dale and Nicoletta Eby. 

Katie began her mock trial career on the A-Team and immediately became an indispensable asset--portraying an ever-changing lineup of colorful and credible witnesses. She served on the E-Board as Vice President of External Relations, and competed at NCT 2018.  Katie plans to attend graduate school in the near future and pursue a career in education. 

During her three years in RUMTA, Nicoletta Eby served as VP of Operations, B-Team Captain, and President. She competed at NCT twice; in Los Angeles for NCT 2017 and in Minneapolis for NCT 2018. Nicoletta plans to attend law school and pursue a legal career. Congratulations, Katie and Nicoletta, on all of your success!

RUMTA is graciously sponsored by the Middlesex County Bar Foundation, the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at Rutgers University, and the Rutgers Alumni Association. Thank you for your generosity, for this would not have been possible without your help. 

RUMTA extends a huge thank you to Head Coach Michael Roberts, Esq. of Roberts & Teeter, LLC, Assistant Coach Rachel Holt, Assistant Coach Zaniah Maynor, and Assistant Coach Anish Patel. 

That's a wrap on the 2017-18 season!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON JOINING THE RUMTA FAMILY AS A COMPETITOR, COACH, OR SPONSOR, PLEASE CONTACT RUMOCKTRIAL05@GMAIL.COM.

RUMTA ADVANCES TO NATIONALS

For the second year in a row and the third time in history, Rutgers Mock Trial advances to the National Championship Tournament after taking third place at the Wilmington ORCS in Delaware. With a record of 6-2 and a competitive score (CS) of 15.5, Rutgers will be one of the top 48 teams in the country competing in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the National Championship.

Rutgers faced fierce competition from Florida International University, Howard University, Kansas State University, and last year’s National Champions, University of Virginia. The A team won both ballots in rounds against FIU and KSU, and split with HU and UVA. A-Team captain Michael Nanchanatt comments on the success of this weekend: "Last weekend was great. We went against some of the best teams in the country, including the defending national champions. We ended up placing 3rd overall and are really excited to get to Nationals for the third time in Rutgers history." Congratulations to Mike Kleynman for his All-National Attorney Award with 18 ranks!

Top, left to right: Head Coach Michael Roberts, Christine Botvinnik, Humayoon Hashmi, Katie Dale, Robert Servilio, Mike Kleynman
Bottom, left to right: President Nicoletta Eby, A-Team Captain Michael Nanchanatt, Rohit Purma, Coach Anish Patel

RUMTA’s B-Team also had a strong showing at Wilmington ORCs, competing in rounds against University of Wisconsin, Howard University, and Patrick Henry University. It was the first time in two years that RUMTA sent two teams to ORCs, and with a team of mostly first-year competitors, the B-Team had a strong performance against serious competition. B-Team captain Anu Chugh comments on the weekend: "I am so proud of this team for making it to such a high level of competition. We have such a bright future ahead and I couldn't be more impressed with how well we performed this weekend." Congratulations to first-year competitors Karan Malhotra and Michelle Fishman for their All-National Attorney and Witness Awards! 

Top, left to right: Aabha Joshi, Coach Zaniah Maynor, Coach Rachel Holt, Michelle Fishman
Middle: Zoe Chang, Hasin Tasneem, Shivangi Patel
Bottom: Karan Malhotra, B-Team Captain Anu Chugh, Lucy Huang

President Nicoletta Eby comments on RUMTA's successful weekend: "I am so proud that our team has earned a spot among the top 48 teams in the country for the third time in RUMTA history. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our members, coaches, and sponsors. It is an especially important occasion to return to Minneapolis for Nationals, as our team placed second in the entire nation in the same city at the 2012 National Championship. We are looking forward to a strong finish of our season."

Left to right: President Nicoletta Eby, Head Coach Michael Roberts, A-Team Captain Michael Nanchanatt

RUMTA would like to thank our dedicated coaching staff and sponsors for your continued guidance and unwavering support. Special thanks to Head Coach Michael Roberts, Esq. and Assistant Coaches Zaniah Maynor and Rachel Holt for your time and commitment to this team.

The 34th AMTA National Championship Tournament will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 20-22, hosted by Hamline University. Stay tuned for more RUMTA updates and exciting news on the journey to Nationals!

For more information on joining the family as a competitor, coach, or sponsor, contact rumocktrial05@gmail.com

RUMTA Advances 2 TEAMS to ORCS!

After months of hard work and dedicated practice, Rutgers Mock Trial secured two bids to the Open Round Championship Series (ORCS)! RUMTA's teams competed on February 3rd and 4th at American University's Regional Tournament in Washington, D.C., and well as University of Richmond's Regional Tournament in Richmond, VA. ORCS is the semi-final level of competition in collegiate mock trial, to which only the top 7 teams at Regional tournaments advance. RUMTA's A & B teams will be advancing to ORCS. 

With a record of 7 wins and a competitive score (CS) of 15, A-Team won 2nd place out of 24 teams! They faced rounds against Seton Hall University, Gettysburg University, Fordham University-Lincoln Center, and Drexel University. "We faced some tough teams and had a few nail-biters, but ultimately the time and effort we put in worked in our favor," said A-Team captain Michael Nanchanatt. RUMTA also congratulates Mike Kleynman for his All-Regional Attorney Award with 17 ranks. Congratulations to A-Team for an incredible performance this weekend!

A-Team, left to right: Humayoon Hashmi, Mike Kleynman, Rohit Purma, Michael Nanchanatt (captain), Christine Botvinnik, Nicoletta Eby (president), Katie Dale, Robert Servilio

Coming in 5th place overall with a record of 6-2 and a CS of 16 was RUMTA's B-Team. They competed against teams from Temple University, Fordham University-Lincoln Center, University of Pennsylvania, and Fordham University-Rose Hill. This accomplishment was not lost on B-Team's captain, Anu Chugh: "Despite being less experienced than our competition, we came out on top - it was talent, teamwork, and a burning desire to succeed that got us there." Congrats to Hasin Tasneem on her All-Regional Witness Award as pharmacologist Ryan Reeves, and to the rest of B-Team for their well-earned victory!

B-Team, left to right: Karan Malhotra, Zaniah Maynor (coach), Zoe Chang, Shivangi Patel, Aabha Joshi, Anu Chugh (captain), Hasin Tasneem, Lucy Huang, Michelle Fishman

Meanwhile, C-Team competed at the University of Virginia's Regional Tournament in Richmond, VA. They competed against Drexel University, Elon University, William and Mary, and University of Maryland. RUMTA congratulates sophomore Ryan Ruffin on his All-Regional Witness Award with 17 ranks. Congratulations to C-Team for an amazing performance and an amazing season!

C-Team, left to right: Christine Tran, Michael Luckhowec, Zachary Newman, Aasha Shaik (captain), Ryan Ruffin, Ajoke Adetula, Veronica Bido

President Nicoletta Eby comments on this weekend and RUMTA's next steps: "I'm incredibly proud of our team and everything that we've accomplished this weekend. Our organization has made tremendous progress since the Fall and I am looking forward to the rest of our season. Our success at Regionals would not have been possible without our coaches, alumni, sponsors, and competitors." Special thanks to our coaching staff: head coach Michael Roberts and assistant coaches Zaniah Maynor, Rachael Holt, and Anish Patel. Your time and dedication are what helped RUMTA to victory this weekend!

Left to right: Zaniah Maynor (Assistant Coach), Anu Chugh (B-Team Captain), Nicoletta Eby (President), Michael Nanchanatt (A-Team Captain), Michael Roberts (Head Coach).

Next month, the A and B-Teams will be competing at the Wilmington ORCS hosted by the University of Delaware - Widener Law School on March 10-11. 

For more information on joining the rumta family as a coach, sponsor, or competitor, please contact:

rumocktrial05@gmail.com

First-Ever SKMTI: Huge Success!

                                              Michael Nanchanatt - Tournament Director, A-Team Captain
                                                                        Nicoletta Eby - President
                                                              Anish Patel - Tab Room Director, Coach

 On November 11-12, the Rutgers University Mock Trial Association hosted the first ever Scarlet Knight Mock Trial Invitational Tournament, an incredible milestone in RUMTA's decade long career as a collegiate mock trial team. The invitational was a huge success, with 26 teams from 16 universities in attendance, and an incredible panel of over 50 judges, coaches, alumni, and supporters who were instrumental to the success of SKMTI. The tournament was held in the Rutgers Academic Building on the College Avenue campus.

RUMTA’s C-team was one of the 26 competing teams, facing rounds against NYU, St. Johns, Penn State, and University of Pittsburgh. Sophomore Ryan Ruffin earned his first Outstanding Witness Award with 17 ranks, and sophomore Humayoon Hashmi earned an Outstanding Attorney Award with 19 ranks. 

The first-ever champion of SKMTI was NYU, followed by University of Pittsburgh in second place, University of Maryland in third place, Penn State in fourth place, and Fordham University - Rose Hill in fifth place. Congratulations to these teams for placing at SKMTI!

The success of SKMTI was a result of the support from RUMTA's coaches, alumni, advisors, and sponsors. RUMTA would like to thank Tournament Director Michael Nanchanatt, Head Coach Michael Roberts, the tab room staff and director, Anish Patel, the RUMTA E-board, all staff and competitors, all alumni who returned to judge and assist, Roberts & Teeter, LLC, RAM Law LLP, the Rutgers Alumni Association, and the Middlesex County Bar Association. 

Next up, the B and C-teams will be competing at the Quaker Classic Invitational Tournament at the University of Pennsylvania. A-Team will be attending the Yale Invitational in early December, and B and C-Teams will compete at Drexel’s Market Street Invitational the same weekend. As always, stay tuned for news and updates as the fall semester draws to an exciting close!

For more information on joining the RUMTA family as a competitor, coach, or sponsor, please contact rumocktrial05@gmail.com.

RUMTA Places 6th at Tufts Invitational!

RUMTA finishes a weekend of tough competition at Tufts University's Mumbo Jumbo Invitational Tournament with a record of 5 wins, placing 6th overall in rounds against Fordham, Tufts, Cornell, and Boston University. The team also received the second Honorable Mention of the season, and President Nicoletta Eby received her second Outstanding Attorney Award of the season with a perfect 20 ranks. Congratulations to the A-team!

Left to right: Humayoon Hashmi, Rob Servilio, Nicoletta Eby, Zoe Chang, Emily O'Leary, Michael Nanchanatt, Rohit Purma, Christine Botvinnik

RUMTA is gearing up for a busy month: the Scarlet Knight Invitational Tournament will be held November 11-12, with 26 teams from up and down the East Coast in attendance at the first SKMTI in RUMTA history. The following weekend, RUMTA will be traveling to Philadelphia to compete at UPenn’s Quaker Classic Invitational Mock Trial Tournament. Stay tuned for more updates as the season progresses!

Rutgers Opens Fall Season At Fordham and CUBAIT

Rutgers Mock Trial kicked off its season with great performances at two October tournaments: Fordham’s Sapientia et Doctrina IX Fall Invitational Tournament, and Columbia University’s Big Apple Invitational Tournament (CUBAIT). 

After two weekends of intense competition, RUMTA’s teams and competitors were rewarded with an Honorable Mention for the C-Team at Fordham. RUMTA’s teams challenged a number of widely-recognized and competitive mock trial programs, including those from Iona, UMBC, NYU, UPenn, and Quinnipiac.

RUMTA’s A-Team also had a strong showing at CUBAIT, facing teams from Yale, Colorado College, NYU, and Harvard. RUMTA congratulates President and Senior Nicoletta Eby on her Outstanding Attorney Award with 18 ranks. Congratulations to all RUMTA competitors on an outstanding performance and a strong start to another successful season!

                                                                       RUMTA's A Team at CUBAIT
              Top row, from left to right: Robert Servilio, Humayoon Hashmi, Emily O'Leary, Rohit Purma, Zoe Chang
                                           Bottom row: Christine Botvinnik, Michael Nanchanatt, Nicoletta Eby

                                                                 RUMTA's B and C Teams at Fordham
                                Top row, from left to right: Ajoke Adetula, Christine Tran, Samantha Berg, Aabha Joshi
          Middle row: Michael Luckhowec, Emmett Laurie, Michelle Fishman, Ryan Ruffin, Veronica Bido, Shivangi Patel
                                  Bottom row: Katie Dale, Anu Chugh, Karan Malhotra, Lucy Huang, Hasin Tasneem

For more information on joining the team as a competitor, coach, or sponsor, please contact rumocktrial05@gmail.com. 

RUMTA's 2017-18 Season Starts Strong!

After a record-breaking 2016-17 season, the Rutgers University Mock Trial Association is ready to kick off the 2017 Fall Invitational season! After RUMTA’s most competitive tryout season yet, with over 70 students trying out, RUMTA’s teams are comprised of some of Rutgers University’s best and brightest.

Our new and returning competitors are led by RUMTA’s recently elected executive board, panel of captains, and coaches:

Executive Board:
Nicoletta Eby, President
Katie Dale, VP of External Relations
Sami Berg, VP of Finance
Christine Botvinnik, VP of Operations
Lucy Huang, VP of PR/Recruitment
Michael Nanchanatt, Tournament Director

Captains:
Michael Nanchanatt, A-Team Captain
Anu Chugh, B-Team Captain
Aasha Shaik, C-Team Captain

Coaches:
Michael B. Roberts, Esq., Head Coach
Rachel Holt, J.D., Assistant Coach
Zaniah Maynor, Assistant Coach
Anish Patel, Assistant Coach

RUMTA President Nicoletta Eby comments on the tryout process and the upcoming season: “This was, by far, our most competitive tryout season yet,” says Eby. “But our team has some real talent, and I’m very much looking forward to a successful year.”

This semester, the teams are ardently preparing for their upcoming invitationals. A-Team kicks off their season at the Columbia University Big Apple Invitational Tournament on October 21 & 22, while B & C-Teams kick off their season at the Fordham University Mock Trial Invitational on October 14 & 15.

Along with the upcoming invitationals at other universities, RUMTA is also excited to host their first-ever mock trial tournament on their own home turf: the Scarlet Knight Mock Trial Invitational. SKMTI will be held on the Rutgers University - New Brunswick campus on November 11th & 12th. “This is our first year running a tournament, and we are very impressed by how large and competitive our field of teams is,” says Tournament Director Michael Nanchanatt. For more information on SKMTI or volunteering as a judge, please contact scarlet.invitational@gmail.com

RUMTA extends a huge thank you to our coaches, alumni, and sponsors for their unwavering guidance and support throughout the years. We are looking forward to another successful and record-breaking year. Stay tuned for more updates on RUMTA's competition season!

Rutgers Places 15th at Nationals!

After an exciting competition, RUMTA’s  2016 - 2017 season has come to a close.  RUMTA’s A-Team competed at the 33rd Annual American Mock Trial Association National Championship Tournament held in Los Angeles, California. This tournament is the highest level of competition for collegiate mock trial, where only the top 48 teams in the country compete. Among those, Rutgers faced UCLA, American University, UC Davis, and Indiana University.

Rutgers A-Team placed 15th in the Harvey Wallace Division with an Honorable Mention!

RUMTA would like to congratulate Aasha Shaik and Mike Kleynman for outstanding individual performances. Shaik received her very first All-American Witness Award for her portrayal of theater critic Jordan Rosenthal. Kleynman was the only All-American Attorney across both divisions of the tournament to receive a perfect score of 30 ranks! Congrats to both of them for these incredible victories and a successful season for the team.

This also marks the end of a long and dedicated mock trial career for RUMTA’s President and only graduating senior, Anish Patel. After four years on the team, having served as President, B-Team Captain, C-Team Captain, and Public Relations Officer, Anish plans to pursue his Masters Degree in Public Policy at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Thank you, Anish, for your years of dedication to this team!

RUMTA would like to thank Head Coach Michael Roberts, Esq. of Roberts & Teeter, LLC, former Head Coach Craig Aronow, Esq. of RAM Law, LLC, Assistant Coaches Jenna Przybylski, Esq. of Desmarais LLP and Jess Ma, Esq. of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and all of the RUMTA alumni who have contributed to this huge success. RUMTA is graciously sponsored by the Middlesex County Bar Foundation, the Rutgers Alumni Association, and RAM Law, LLC. Thank you all for your support and for a wonderful season!

For more information about involvement as a competitor, sponsor, or coach, please see www.rumta.org or email us at rumocktrial05@gmail.com.

On to Nationals!

The Rutgers University Mock Trial Association (RUMTA) A-Team placed fourth at the Wilmington Open Round Series Championship, earning a spot among the top 48 teams in the nation, and a chance to compete to be the number one mock trial team across the fifty states. This year’s A-team has made RUMTA history and is now the second team to successfully earn a bid to the National Championship Tournament (NCT) in Los Angeles CA, on April 21-23.

RUMTA congratulates A-Team members Rob Servilio and Mike Kleynman for outstanding individual performances. Servilio received an Outstanding Witness Award for his portrayal of human resources expert Dr. Sam Owens. Kleynman received an Outstanding Attorney award for his work as plaintiff counsel.

At ORCS, the A-team faced tough rounds of competition, taking victories against George Washington University, University of North Carolina -Chapel Hill, a rematch against  Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Pennsylvania. The A-Team argued both plaintiff and defense in the civil employment discrimination case Riley Winter vs. TBD involving a journalist allegedly terminated for their age. President and Senior Anish Patel in his fourth and final year reports that “in [his] four proud years with this organization, this year RUMTA has gone to more tournaments, raised more money, and gotten farther than it ever has in the quest to become number one. We owe everything to our coaches and sponsors, and we celebrate the loyalty and dedication of our membership.”

For NCT, the A-team will now be arguing the case of Alex Taylor v. Trifecta Entertainment, a civil copyright infringement case between a former playwright and his former employer.

RUMTA would like to give a special thank you to Head Coach Michael Roberts of Roberts & Teeter, who practices criminal defense in Somerset County. RUMTA would also like to thank Assistant Coaches Jenna Przybylski, an Associate at Desmarais LLP, and Jess Ma, an Assistant Prosecutor at the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. RUMTA is graciously sponsored by the Middlesex County Bar Foundation, and the Rutgers Alumni Association. Thank you for your support.

Regionals and Onward!

The A team will be competing now for a spot among the top 48 teams in the nation as they argue in the civil case Riley Winter vs. TBD, Inc.

The Rutgers University Mock Trial Association (RUMTA) A and B teams competed at Regionals. The B team competed at The Commonwealth Championship Richmond Regional Mock Trial Tournament hosted by the University of Richmond’s Mock Trial Association held on February 10-12th and the A team attended the Maryland Mock Trial Regionals in Baltimore hosted by the University of Maryland on February 17-19.

The A team took 3rd place at their tournament out of 25 teams that competed that weekend. RUMTA’s A team won 6 out of the 8 ballots this past weekend guaranteeing them a spot to compete in the Open Round Championship Series (ORCS). RUMTA also congratulates B-team member Humayoon Hashmi for receiving an All-Region Witness Award with 18/20 ranks and A-team closing attorney Mike Kleynman on A team received a All-Region Attorney award with a perfect 20 ranks.

RUMTA A-Team CUBAIT XIV Champions!

RUMTA A-Team placed first at the fourteenth annual Columbia University Big Apple Invitational Tournament (CUBAIT XIV). A-Team faced opponents from top teams that placed at last year's National Championship Tournament such as Fordham Lincoln Center, Harvard, and NYU. A-Team went 7-1 with a Combined Strength of 17. Congrats to all members! A-Team competes next at the Mumbo Jumbo Invitational at Tufts University on November 5-6.

Successful Start to Season for RUMTA Teams

The Rutgers University Mock Trial Association (RUMTA) A-Team took 1st place at the United State Coast Guard Academy's Guardian Invitational on October 15-16. This was their first competition of the 2016-17 season.  President Anish Patel won a perfect 20 ranks as an attorney and witness, and members Tanushree Bansal and Mike Kleynman also received top attorney awards.

Rutgers B and C Teams competed at Drexel's Market Street Invitational competition on October 15-16.  C-Team placed 5th out of 18 teams! B-Team's Emily O’Leary won a top attorney award with 17 ranks and C-Team's Anu Chugh also won a top attorney award with a perfect 20 ranks.

RUMTA excited to begin a new season!

Head Coach Michael Roberts greets the newly formed RUMTA membership

RUMTA is very excited to begin the next mock trial season with  15 talented new members! Returning members are ready to dive into the new case packet from AMTA and prepare for the new civil case. RUMTA begins this year with new head coach Michael Roberts. Coach Roberts is a partner at Roberts and Teeter LLC, where he is a practicing criminal defense attorney. 

RUMTA's new executive board:

• President: Anish Patel
• Treasurer: Mike Kleynman
• Operations Officer: Nicoletta Eby
• PR Officer: Emily O'Leary
• Secretary: Tanushree Bansal

RUMTA's new captains:

• A-Team Captain: Michael Nanchanatt
• B/C-Team Captain: Nicoletta Eby
• B/C Team Captain: Christine Botvinnik 

RUMTA is ardently getting ready and preparing for its first invitationals to kick off the start of a great season. The three teams have an exciting competition schedule coming up!

RUMTA celebrates Head Coach Craig Aronow

RUMTA Head Coach Craig Aronow served as RUMTA's first head coach from 2006 to until 2016,  serving as coach to the 2012 RUMTA A-Team which placed second at the AMTA National Championship Tournament. Coach Aronow continues to be an inspiration to the RUMTA family, and is the embodiment of RUMTA's values of skill, excellence, and giving back to the community. Coach Aronow is a partner at RAM Law, located in New Brunswick New Jersey, and has served as president of the Middlesex County Bar Association and a trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Coach Aronow will be missed, but his legacy as RUMTA's first head coach will continue on. 

RUMTA closes out season at Lancaster ORCS

On March 18-20, RUMTA's A and B-Teams competed at the Lancaster Open Round Championship Series in Lancaster, PA. There, they faced over 22 other schools, including Yale, NYU, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania.  The teams performed well throughout their four rounds, and A-team captain Esther Kang finished the weekend with an Outstanding Attorney award and 18 ranks. The weekend marked the end of one of RUMTA's best seasons yet and the organization is excited to build upon their success moving forward. The team's upcoming 2016-17 season will begin at the start of the Fall 2016 semester. Stay tuned!

A-Team Takes 5th place at Yale Tournament

On December 5-6th RUMTA A-Team competed at the 20th annual Yale Invitational Tournament at Yale University.  There the A-Team finished 5th after several hard fought rounds.  Among the other teams competing at Yale were both the reigning champions Harvard, the runner-up Yale, and UVA.  Team Captain Esther Kang won her third straight Top Attorney Award with 19 ranks.

B-Team Goes to Yale Tournament

On December 5-6th RUMTA B-Team competed at the 20th annual Yale Invitational Tournament at Yale University.  There were 42 teams at the Tournament and the B-Tam matched-up against several competitive teams.