Villanova Students Shine In Montco DA's Mock Trial Competition

VILLANOVA, PA — A Villanova University student was named a winner of Montgomery County's 25th Annual District Attorney’s Summer Intern Mock Trial Competition.

The DA's office recently announced winners in its annual competition, in which interns prosecuted a fictitious murder case that involved overcoming legal hurdles and factual challenges to create difficulty for the students.

Conor Whitlark, of Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law was the winner alongside Olivia Canterino, of Widener University Delaware Law School.

Whitlark wasn't the only Villanova student to earn accolades in the competition, however. Coming in second place were Mason Cole and Seth Winigrad, both from Villanova.

During the competition, first-year law students and undergraduate interns acted as witnesses, while the jury for the final round on Aug. 6 was made up of District Attorney Kevin Steele, Deputy District Attorneys and Assistant District Attorneys.

First Assistant District Attorney Edward F. McCann Jr. sat as the judge for the final round.

The competition included 11 second-year law students and one first-year. The second-year law students were certified legal summer interns, approved and certified under Pa. B.A.R. 321 and 322 by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

That certification allowed them to practice law in Magisterial District Court and the Court of Common Pleas this summer under the guidance and supervision of the office’s Assistant District
Attorneys. Throughout the summer, the law students handled Gagnon hearings, guilty
pleas, summary appeals and other legal proceedings.

These 12 law school students were part of a summer intern class of 44 college students that included 11 second-year law students, 17 first-year law students, 13 undergraduates and three high school students.

College and law schools represented were American University, University of Cincinnati, Drexel University, Loyola University Maryland, Montgomery County Community College, The Pennsylvania State University, Saint Joseph’s University, Syracuse University, Temple University, Trinity College, Villanova University, Washington University, Washington and Lee University, West Chester University and Widener University.