Bowen Law Mock Trial Team Earns Runner-Up at National Civil Rights Competition
A student team from the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law earned national recognition last week after finishing as runner-up at the 8th Annual MLK National Civil Rights Mock Trial Competition, hosted by UC Davis School of Law. The team advanced to the final round after defeating top-tier law schools in a series of competitive mock trial rounds.
The Bowen team — composed of Jules Lemmon (3L), Lindsey Norman (3L), Nayeli Ortiz (2L), and Aubrey Matheson (2L) — was coached by Professor Pat Harris. Lemmon and Ortiz served as plaintiff’s counsel, while Norman and Matheson represented the defense. Together, they faced off against 14 law schools and 112 law students over the course of the three-day competition.
“This is a big deal for Bowen,” said Harris. “We’ve reached the semifinals before, but this was our first time advancing to the final round. These students put in countless hours — early mornings, late nights, weekends — and it showed. Their strength is their honor, integrity, and work ethic.”
The team opened the competition with a win over the University of Virginia, followed by back-to-back victories against Texas A&M and Brooklyn Law School. In the semifinals, they defeated California Western School of Law with a unanimous 3-0 judges’ decision before facing the University of Texas in the final round. Bowen ultimately earned runner-up, losing by just nine points in a 414-405 final score.
Norman, who served as defense counsel, called the experience “transformative.”
“After the competition, the presiding judge who wrote the case we tried visited with all of us. He asked about our plans. I told him I plan to work in the transactional world after getting an LLM in tax. He looked at me and said, ‘That sounds great, but please don’t waste the skill you have in the courtroom.’”
“I will always be so grateful to Pat for believing in my ability to compete on this team,” Norman added. “I am walking away from this experience feeling confident to step into the courtroom and try a case if given the opportunity.”
Lemmon, who plans to serve as a Marine Corps judge advocate, said the experience reinforced her passion for litigation. “The work isn’t easy but it’s absolutely worth it. We competed against both public and private schools with much higher tuition, and we proved that the legal training we receive at Bowen is every bit as strong.”
The team’s success reflects Bowen’s commitment to preparing students for practice-ready legal careers with purpose, with support, and with momentum. Through personal mentorship, real-world advocacy, and direct experience in national competitions like this one, Bowen students graduate ready to lead in courtrooms, boardrooms, and communities across Arkansas and beyond.