Mock Trial Team History

The heart and soul of the UIC Mock Trial Program is the students’ dedication to learning, commitment to winning, and their love of competition. Although I am proud of our success, I have a greater pride knowing these young men and women will benefit more from their experience in this program than can simply be quantified by accolades or a trophy.

Nicholas Gowen, Esq.  |  Former Instructor, Competitor, and Captain of the UIC Mock Trial Program

  • 34 Years Competing

  • 5 Regional Championships

  • 9 National Championship Tournament Appearances

The UIC Mock Trial Team has a rich history filled with team and individual success dating back to 1990 when a student, Brent Smith, approached Professor Richard Johnson about starting a competitive trial advocacy team. Professor Johnson recruited attorney Pat Reardon to coach the newly founded program. After a few years of coaching the program, Mr. Reardon brought in Judge Abishi Cunningham Jr. (Ret.). During those early years, the team advanced to the Silver National Tournament in 1993 and 1996.

During the 1996-97 season, Victor Erbring and Stephen Beeler began assisting Mr. Reardon and Judge Cunningham as student/coaches. This was the year former coaches Nicholas Gowen and Robyn Haynes joined the program. Mr. Erbring and Mr. Beeler convinced Professor Johnson to allow the Mock Trial Team to become a 3-credit independent study, making UIC one of the only programs in the country that offered students academic credit for participating in the activity. During the 1998-99 season, Mr. Gowen and Ms. Haynes became the first students to be in the program for three years.

In 2005, Mr. Gowen took the reins of the team and became the course instructor and program coordinator following Professor Johnson’s retirement.

In 2006, the program expanded to create a second team with the goal of allowing more students an opportunity to be part of the team.

Following the 2008-09 season, Judge Cunningham and Mr. Reardon retired from coaching after nearly 20 years, with teams appearing in 15 consecutive national tournaments including 7 National Championship Tournaments.

UIC Mock Trial has also spread its reach into law school trial advocacy programs. In 2011, former UIC Mock Trial captains and AMTA All-American Attorneys Karim Basaria (Northwestern, ’12) and Ryan Nolte (Chicago Kent, ’11) faced off in the championship round at the National Trial Competition (sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association). Karim won the National Championship besting Ryan who was named the nation’s Best Oral Advocate.

In 2017, Mr. Nolte became the course instructor for the program. Under his leadership, the UIC Mock Trial Program continues to grow and strives to develop talented oral advocates for generations to come.

  • 14 All-Americans

  • 79 All-Regional & All-ORCS Awardees

  • 2 Top 10 National Championship Tournament Finishes