A University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law mock trial team took home top prize at the 2021 Missouri Prosecutor's Cup Mock Trial Competition.

The Prosecutors Cup is a mock trial competition among Missouri's top law schools. UMKC students studying for careers in the legal profession used trial advocacy skills to try cases against each other. This year's winning team included Trey Allison (3L), Alissa Beirmaier (3L) and Margaret Stansell (3L), coached by law professor Michaelle Tobin.

"My first reaction when I found out we had won was absolute joy. I was so excited to compete and so proud of my team. We put in a lot of hard work and late nights to prepare for this and I was so happy that work paid off and we were able to come home with a win," Stansell said.

The competition, held in St. Louis in late November, featured mock trial teams from across the state of Missouri, including teams from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Missouri-Columbia.

After winning the competition the championship team had the opportunity to have an exhibition round with practicing attorneys as opposing counsel.

Scott Rosenblum, of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry, Travis Noble, of Travis Noble P.C., and several other high profile St. Louis attorneys acted as defense counsel. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, Sayler Fleming, played the defendant and the Honorable George Draper of the Missouri Supreme Court was the judge.

UMKC sent two teams to the competition, the winning team, and another team that finished undefeated but came up just six points shy of advancing to the final round. The undefeated team was comprised of Casey Campbell (3L), Lauren Gregory (3L) and Eric Honea (3L).

"This win is so important to me as a 3L because it reflects all the skills I've learned, nurtured and crafted over the years in undergrad mock trial and on the law school team," Stansell said. "It always feels good to win but this was so special because we're about to graduate and really only have a few chances left to compete and bring these accolades to our school."