In September 2025, law students from all 10 Texas law schools came together for three days at the Lubbock County Courthouse to crown one “Best in Texas.”
Conceived through a partnership between the advocacy directors of the state’s law schools and TEX-ABOTA, the Best in Texas Voir Dire Competition is a one-of-a-kind mock trial tournament that focuses on the undertaught art of jury selection.
After four preliminary rounds, the quarterfinalists were announced: University of Houston Law Center, UNT Dallas College of Law, Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and the University of Texas School of Law. UT Law prevailed over Texas Southern in the semifinals to claim the coveted Dicky Grigg trophy. Texas A&M University School of Law won the tournament’s Civility Award, as voted by the student participants.
The competition focuses on jury selection, which is at the heart of TEX-ABOTA’s commitment to protect and strengthen our Seventh Amendment rights. Approximately 450 Lubbock citizens served as jurors in the 2025 competition.
Individually, Robert May Jr. from Texas Southern University won the Best Opening Statement Award and the Most Professional Advocate Award, as voted on by the ABOTA-member lawyers and judges. Abigail Mathew of the University of Houston Law Center won the Best Voir Dire trophy.
Best in Texas 2025 was a huge success thanks to the hard work of the Best in Texas Committee; TEX-ABOTA President Mitzi Mayfield; the Chairs of Judges Fred Bowers and Judge Lee Ann Reno; the Texas law school coaches and students; numerous TEX-ABOTA members from all over the state; the American Society of Trial Consultants, represented by Faye Honig; and Caliber Video Productions.
For more information about TEX-ABOTA, go to tex-abota.org.
Les Hatch is judge of the 237th District Court in Lubbock County and served as chair of the 2025 Best in Texas Competition.