Top Gun

Where the Nation’s Best Advocates Compete for the Ultimate Title

Baylor Law School’s Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition is a one-of-a-kind, invitation-only tournament that pits the best advocates from the nation’s top 16 trial advocacy schools against each other in a high-stakes battle for the title of “Top Gun” and a $10,000 winner-takes-all prize. Known for its cutting-edge approach, Top Gun breaks the mold of traditional mock trial competitions.

Since its inception in 2010 and inspired by Baylor Law School’s renowned advocacy program, Top Gun has redefined the mock trial experience. Competitors receive the case file just 24 hours before the first round, requiring them to analyze depositions, records, and photographs quickly, and even visit the scene of the events. Competitors must strategically choose their witnesses shortly before each round, adding to the challenge. Trials are judged by distinguished trial lawyers and judges, ensuring a rigorous and realistic experience.

Top Gun stands alone in its intensity and innovation, pushing even the most skilled mock trial competitors to their limits.

Peter Jones, winner of Top Gun XV, makes a point during the final round of the competition — Top Gun XV Champion Peter Jones of UCLA School of Law

Unmatched Realism: The Complex Case Files at Top Gun

Baylor Law’s Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition is renowned for its unmatched realism and meticulous attention to detail. Each year, the case files are packed with hundreds of pages of exhibits featuring comprehensive depositions, detailed records, photographs, and videos that mirror the complexity of real-world litigation.

In the semi-final and final rounds, competitors have the unique opportunity to question real-life experts on the stand. From forensic investigators and university professors to nationally recognized experts in eyewitness issues and even professional athletes, these top-tier witnesses bring authenticity and depth rarely seen in mock trial competitions, pushing participants to engage with the intricacies of expert testimony in a way that truly prepares them for the courtroom.

Distinguished and Accomplished Judges

Judge of the Final Round of Top Gun XV holds his glasses while listening to competitors

The quality of Top Gun’s judges is another hallmark of the competition’s excellence. With over eighty judges (made up of both state and federal judges as well as accomplished trial attorneys) and 36 trials unfolding over the course of five days, the real-life trial experience that these judges bring to the competition creates an unparalleled degree of realism.

Top Gun 2025

Dates & Details Coming Soon!

For more information about Top Gun, please contact Kathy Serr, Advocacy Program Coordinator at Baylor Law School at Kathy_Serr@baylor.edu or 254.710.3611.