Live band performing on stage at Sportsmen’s Tavern in Buffalo, NY, with musicians playing guitars, keyboard, and drums under purple and green stage lighting.

Hon. Thomas (Tim) Franczyk, retired Erie County Court judge and former co-director of The Advocacy Institute took center stage, as the Kensingtons performed at the celebratory event.

Black Friday, bright future

UB Law Trial Teams celebrate success

This semester, UB Law’s trial competition teams carried our name across the country and beyond—building advocacy skills in hard-fought contests and celebrating their successes at their Black Friday fundraiser at the Sportsmen’s Tavern in Buffalo featuring Advocacy Institute board member Hon. Thomas P.  Franczyk (ret). and his band, The Kensingtons.

The Trial Teams Program is a vital component of the law school’s robust Advocacy Institute, which develops students’ overall skills through innovative programming in trial advocacy, appellate advocacy and alternative dispute resolution, and houses our Innocence and Justice Project. And as our trial teams compete nationally as well as at home, they find ample opportunity to showcase the results of their hard work and preparation.

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Expanded training

Over the past summer, UB Law invested in both coaches and students through expanded training. Seasoned lawyers who coach UB Law teams sharpened their approach with guidance from UCLA’s Justin Bernstein at a training co-led by Jennifer Scharf ’05, vice dean for career services. Scharf co-directs the Advocacy Institute with Professor Christine P. Bartholomew, vice dean for student achievement.

And two dozen students took part in an online summer training in trial skills led by Scharf and Lisa Bauer, assistant dean for career services and director of competitions. Students followed a single competition problem through multiple facets, including opening arguments, questioning and impeaching witnesses, qualifying an expert witness, and closing arguments. They then recorded videos practicing these new skills and received feedback from Bauer and Scharf to help polish their skills.

Impressive results

Four people standing together indoors in front of green plants and an arched doorway. One person in the center is holding a rectangular award plaque with a circular emblem and text. They are dressed in semi-formal attire, including black, white, blue, and gray outfits.

Left to Right: Caitlyn Kelley ’26, Rich Neri ’26, Gianna Palumbo ’26 and James Wiesmore ’27 proudly showing their second-place plaque from the 2025 Puerto Rico Trial Advocacy Competition.

With expanded training and the steadfast support of alumni and friends, UB Law’s trial teams entered the semester equipped to excel. That combination of preparation and community investment translated into impressive performances on the national stage:

  • In the National Pretrial Competition at Stetson Law School in Gulfport, Fla., UB’s team—Cassidy Jensen ’26, Stephen Kaelin ’27, Lachlan Macintosh ’26 and Francesca Manzella ’26—reached the quarterfinals.
  • In the Premiere Trial Competition hosted at the Shepard Broad College of Law at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Fla., the team of Blaise Doyle ’27, Samantha Gaglio ’27, Emily Gay ’27 and Henry Nowak ’27 placed fourth. In individual honors, Gay and Nowak were named Outstanding Advocates.
  • In a razor-close finish in the Puerto Rico Trial Advocacy Competition at Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, it was a second-place showing for UB Law’s team: Caitlyn Kelley ’26, Richard Neri ’26, Gianna Palumbo ’26 and James Wiesmore ’27.
  • And in UB Law’s homegrown event, the 22nd annual Buffalo Niagara Trial Competition, the hometown team—Carlo N. Cancellieri ’27, Brooklynn A. Flowers ’27, Kate Huppé ’26 and PK White ’27—earned a fifth-place finish out of 26 teams.

Black Friday Celebration

Three people standing together indoors at an event, wearing semi-formal attire including blazers and a vest, with a dark background and glass doors behind them.

Left to Right: John J. Fromen, Jr. '87, Terrence M. Connors '71 and Lucas Fromen '21.

Success in trial advocacy is a collective effort of students, coaches, administrators, and alumni and friends working together. That support was on full display at the Trial Team Program’s Black Friday Fundraiser, where the law school community packed the Sportsmen’s Tavern, setting record attendance for the end-of-year event.

The celebration also set the stage for a moment of extraordinary generosity: a $50,000 gift from National Advisory Board member John J. Fromen Jr. ’87, honoring board chair and founding donor of the Advocacy Institute, Terrence M. Connors ’71. The gift significantly grows the Fromen Family Fund for Advocacy, established in 2020.

Group of six people standing together indoors in front of glass doors, dressed in casual and semi-formal clothing.

Left to Right: Maxwell Battaglia ’26; Jennifer R. Scharf ’05, co-director of the Advocacy Institute; Dean S. Todd Brown; Lisa Bauer, director of competitions, Richard Neri ’26 and Andrew Cegielski '25.

The student committee organizing the fundraiser consisted of Francesca Manzella ’26 and Julia Noshy ’27, chairs, as well as Max Battaglia ’26, Samantha Gaglio ’27, Cassidy Jensen ’26, Stephen Kaelin ’27 and Richard Neri ’26.

The Black Friday celebration was a powerful display of UB Law community and pride.  "We have seen an unparalleled investment of time and dedication from our coaches and students, and we are so grateful for the financial investment from members of our legal community,” says Scharf. “Participating in national competitions is a huge expense, but there is an even bigger payoff.  Our trial team students’ bar passage rate is nearly 100%, and so is our job placement rate.”

Watch for upcoming news highlighting our students’ successes and those who help make it possible through their generous support.