Elizabeth Fox-Solomon '06 advocates for our advocates

One such coach is Elizabeth Fox-Solomon ’06. A trial attorney in Buffalo with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, she is also president-elect of the Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York.

Talking with her about the experience of working with these highly motivated students, it’s clear that a coach’s investment of time and energy is amply rewarded.

Did you compete on trial teams when you were at UB School of Law?

I did not, and it’s one of my biggest regrets in law school. I did take Trial Technique in my last semester, the course I now teach, and that was one of my favorite classes at UB law school.

How did you get started in coaching our trial teams?

We were invited to a competition at Stetson University in Florida, a hybrid of a mock trial and a brief-writing competition. I was known for my writing skills as a law clerk, and Jen Scharf [who oversees the trial teams program] asked me to help students with the brief-writing aspect. I loved coaching the team, the students took home some individual awards, and I was hooked.

When you’re coaching a team, is it mostly about general courtroom technique and persuasive argument? What are you most focused on?

It’s a little bit of everything – digesting the case problem, seeing what exhibits are there, asking what’s your theory, what’s your theme. We spend a lot of time trying to develop a cohesive theme from the beginning so every argument we make holds together. Once they have a feel for the case, in every practice they’re practicing a skill and the coaches are critiquing them. My students send me outlines of their directs or crosses or their closing arguments, and they’re very used to all of my red marks. I make lots of comments on “here’s how you could structure this better” or “think about your word choice here.”

No coaching is allowed when the competition itself is in progress. What’s it like to watch your proteges make their case?

It’s very difficult. I teach the students that you have to maintain a straight face at counsel table no matter what, but it’s very hard for me not to make faces and wring my hands. I take a lot of notes and deep breaths and try to remain calm.

What do you get out of this work?

Part of it is keeping up my own skills – by teaching and constantly trying to hone those advocacy skills, you’re keeping your skills sharp as well. Also, I really enjoy seeing students develop over the course of a semester. There are some who are shy or think, “I’m afraid to stand up and say my name in a public meeting, let alone make an argument in court.” They are gripping their legal pad like it’s a life raft. By the end, they’re standing up and able to make arguments and think on their feet. It’s incredibly rewarding for me.

I’m the first lawyer in my family, and I never saw lawyers in action when I was growing up. So in doing this, I’m able to say to students that you can do it, too – that the law is for everybody.

And with the competitions, it’s like The Mighty Ducks. They all joke that I’m the team mom because I’m carting them around on these trips. It’s exhausting, but it’s a lot of fun.

Some recent achievements by UB School of Law trial teams:

2019 National Trial Competition
Coaches: Elizabeth Fox-Solomon, Sean Carberry, Sidney Mosher, Matthew Kibler ’09, Devon Gawley ’18

• Regional Finalists: Jacob Eckenrode ’19, Sarah Elardo ’19
• Best Direct Examination: William Fitzgerald ’19

[View photos from the 2019 National Trial Competition]

2018 National Trial Competition
Coaches: Elizabeth Fox-Solomon, Charles Ritter Jr. ’93, Jessica DeMichiel ’11, Erin Ewell

• Regional Finalists: Jacob Eckenrode ’19, Devon Gawley ’18, Diane Orosz ’18
• Best Overall Advocate: Elena Smith ’18
• Best Cross-Examination: Devon Gawley ’18

2017 National Pretrial Competition at Stetson Law
Coaches: Elizabeth Fox-Solomon, Thomas Franczyk, Christina Parker

• Best Advocate, Round 1: Devon Gawley ’18