 | Susan Poehls '89 (center left) joins her successor John Henry '99 (right) at the Byrne Team's 35th anniversary celebration.
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Remembering the Legacy of Longtime Director Susan PoehlsLMU Loyola Law School mourns the passing of Professor Susan Poehls ’89, longtime director of Loyola's Trial Advocacy Programs. As a cherished member of the Loyola community,
her influence as a teacher, mentor, and leader shaped generations of attorneys and left an indelible mark on the legal profession.
A Loyola alumna and a pillar of the trial advocacy community for more than three decades, Professor Poehls embodied the school’s deepest commitments — to excellence, ethics, service, and the formation of lawyers who lead with both skill and heart. Read more about her impact and watch the tribute video recorded on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Loyola's storied Byrne Trial Advocacy Team.
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RECENT ADVOCACY MILESTONES
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Loyola's Moot Court Teams Saw String of 2024-25 Victories The trial and appellate advocacy teams at LMU Loyola Law School saw an extraordinary string of successes in the 2024-25 academic year. These included being named national semifinalists in the 2025 Gold Cup and National Online Trial Competition. Elsewhere, Loyola teams were regional champions of the 2025 American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition and semifinalists at the National Trial Competition. A complete list of recent victories is below.
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- 2025 National Trial Competition: Regional Semifinalists
- 2025 American Association for Justice (AAJ) Student Trial Advocacy Competition: Regional Champions
- 2025 Syracuse National Trial Competition: Ethical Advocacy Award
- 2025 Gold Cup: Semifinalists & Best Cross-Examination
- 2025 National Online Trial Competition: Semifinalists
- 2024 National Entertainment Moot Court Competition: National Champions, Runner-Up Brief Award, Runner-Up Oralist Award
- 2024 National Moot Court Regional Competition: Finalists and Semifinalists, Best Oralist, 5th Best Brief
- 2023 Pepperdine Entertainment Moot Court Competition: Quarterfinalists, Best Brief
- 2023 National Moot Court Regional Competition: Quarterfinalists
- 2023 Tulane Mardi Gras Moot Court Invitational Competition: Best Petitioner Oralist
- 2023 Roger J. Traynor Moot Court Competition: Champions, 2nd Excellence in Appellate Advocacy Award, Geoffrey Hall Wright Award for Best Oralist, 3rd Individual Merit Award for Oral Argument
- 2023 Battle of the Experts: National Finalists
- 2023 Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition: National Finalist
- 2023 UCLA Verdict Jury Trial Competition: 2nd Best Advocate Award
- 2023 South Texas Mock Trial Challenge: National Finalists
- 2023 American Association for Justice (AAJ) Student Trial Advocacy Competition: Regional Finalists
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Loyola Law Hosts Prestigious National Civil Trial CompetitionLoyola Law School hosted the 24th installment of the prestigious National Civil Trial Competition (NCTC), sponsored by the plaintiffs' law firm Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP. Competition rounds were held in the law school's Dordick Family Trial Advocacy Center and Santa Monica Courthouse. The competition involved 64 law student litigants on 16 teams of four. St. Mary's School of Law won this year's tournament. As a prior champion and host school, Loyola Law School did not participate in the competition.
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ON THE BENCH & IN THE BAR
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 | From Advocate to Judge, Trial Team Alum Pays it Forward
The Hon. John C. Weller '05, L.A. Superior Court, is a former Byrne Trial Advocacy Team member who maintains his connections to the school. Weller's advice to new attorneys: "Work hard, work smart, and don't be fueled by fear."
Before ascending to the bench, Weller was a cybercrimes prosecutor who brought cases involving everything from cryptocurrency theft and drug sales to embezzlement and network intrusion.
Weller is careful to make sure defendants understand what's happening to them. "I take a little bit of extra time." he said.
| |  | Trial Lawyer Finds Justice for Clients as Injury Law Expert
Alexis Gamliel '16, founder, and principal at Gamliel Law, polished her trial advocacy as a member of the Byrne Trial Advocacy Team. President of Loyola's Consumer Law Society, she serves on the board of board of directors for the Consumer Attorneys of California.
The firm she founded focuses on personal injury, wrongful death, and employment matters.
"Everybody deserves a workplace free from discrimination and harassment," she told the L.A. Daily Journal regarding a recent client's suit alleging gender discrimination against a major magazine.
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JUVENILE JUSTICE CLINIC
Students Successfully Advocate for Clients in Court
In October, students in the Juvenile Justice Clinic made their first official court appearances — with impressive results. Their research, motions, and arguments helped reduce sentences and reunite young clients with their families.
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CLOSING NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
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Dear Colleague,
I want to thank you and everyone in the trial advocacy community for your comradery and support as I have transitioned from Byrne Trial Advocacy Team Coach to director.
It has not been easy losing Susan Poehls, a friend and mentor to me and so many of us. But the program she built is a legacy I plan to continue to lead with the same strength, generosity, resilience, and grace that equipped her to set the bar so high. I look forward to continuing to work with you in the year ahead.
Sincerely,
John A. Henry '99
Director of Trial Advocacy Programs
Associate Clinical Professor of Law
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