Samford University Cumberland School of Law's trial team reached the championship round of the 25th Annual National Civil Trial Competition, held Nov. 5-8, finishing as national finalists. Representing Cumberland were third-year law students Elle Drennen, Sloane Saxon, Ellie Tidwell and Daniel Washington.
Hosted by Loyola Law School Los Angeles, the competition featured 16 teams and 64 student advocates from the nation's leading trial advocacy programs. On the way to the championship round, Cumberland defeated four nationally ranked trial advocacy programs.
The team was coached by Trent Testa, JD '21, assistant director of advocacy; Elise Driskill, JD '23; and Treasure Sutton, JD '24, all former members of Cumberland's national trial team. Second-year law student Bethany Griffin also assisted with preparation.
"I am extremely proud of our students," Driskill said. "They supported one another, adapted their case presentation to account for each team's strategy and treated everyone they encountered with respect."
The case involved allegations of forced labor, trafficking and document servitude arising from abuses of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. The defense denied the claims, asserting consent, voluntary agreement and lawful business justification as affirmative defenses. Saxon and Tidwell represented the plaintiff, while Drennen and Washington represented the defendant.
"It was an honor to coach this group," Testa said. "The dedication each of them brought to this case is a testament to their drive and desire to become outstanding trial lawyers. They are not only talented advocates, but genuinely great people, and that was evident in the way they carried themselves throughout the tournament. I am proud of what they accomplished and grateful to have been a small part of their journey. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for each of them."
Sutton lauded Cumberland’s talented advocates for sharpening their skills throughout the season.
"Watching a team of students that you care about compete may be more stressful than being the one standing in the courtroom yourself," Sutton said. "Although the final round did not go our way, I could not be prouder of this team. They fought hard, stayed composed, trusted one another and demonstrated exactly why they earned the opportunity to compete for a national title. "
Cumberland School of Law's trial advocacy program continues to earn national recognition, ranking #9 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report (2026), #2 overall in the Gavel Rankings since 2019 and #3 overall in the Trial Competition Performance Rankings since 2016.
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