NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2011
CONTACT: ERIKA MARZORATI
517/432-6848, marzorat@law.msu.edu
MSU Law Team Reaches “Elite 8” at Regional Trial Competition
East Lansing, MI — Michigan State University College of Law advanced to the quarterfinals in the Midwest Regional of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition.
The team of 3L Carl Nicolas and 2Ls Jerome Crawford, Alyssa Floyd, and Anastasa Williams won two preliminary rounds to qualify for the “Elite 8” at the event, which drew 24 teams from 12 law schools throughout the region. The team was narrowly defeated in its final appearance.
Two team members served as advocates and two as witnesses for either the prosecution or defense during each stage of the mock criminal trial involving prostitution and child pornography charges. Participants changed sides and roles during each round of the competition, which was held in Chicago during the Midwest Region Black Law Students Association (MWBLSA) annual convention.
The NBLSA mock trial event is named for the Honorable Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to serve on the nation’s highest court. Prior to serving on the bench, Justice Marshall successfully argued numerous civil rights cases before the U.S. Supreme Court as chief counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). His most famous case was Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), a landmark case in which the court declared that racial segregation in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Marshall died in 1993.
The MSU Law Black Law Students Association (BLSA) advocates for the recruitment, retention, and educational development of students of African heritage and other minority law students enrolled at the Law College. BLSA strives to unite students in the common purpose of scholastic achievement through diverse educational, professional, and community service experiences. BLSA provides minority law students with the resources and tools needed to obtain a Juris Doctor degree and pass state bar examinations.
Michigan State University College of Law is a leading institution of legal education with a long history of educating practice-ready attorneys. As one of only a few private law schools affiliated with a major research university, MSU Law offers comprehensive interdisciplinary opportunities combined with a personalized legal education. After 100 years as a private and independent institution, the affiliation with MSU has put the Law College on an upward trajectory of national and international reputation and reach. MSU Law professors are gifted teachers and distinguished scholars, its curriculum is rigorous and challenging, and its facility is equipped with the latest resources—all affirming MSU Law's commitment to educating 21st-century lawyers.
###
320 Law College Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
www.law.msu.edu
From left: Carl Nicolas, Alyssa Floyd, Anastasa Williams, and Jerome Crawford