The Temple Rosner National Trial Team powered its way to a semi-finalist finish in the 2026 Capitol City Challenge, one of the most prestigious trial advocacy competitions in the nation. Third-year law students Amir Borghaei, Tom Loudenslager, Miron Sergeev, and Michael Thomas turned in exceptional performances that showcased their preparation and professionalism, earning accolades from the judges and from coaches Dorothy Hayes (JD ‘24) and Dale Tan.
“Amir, Michael, Miron, and Tom competed with the tenacity, diligence, and integrity that are the hallmarks of Temple Law,” said Tan. “Each advocate performed at a level of excellence that heralds a brilliant future as attorneys.” Hayes added, “This team went above and beyond what was asked of them in preparing for Cap City. Watching them advocate, I couldn’t be more proud of their hard work and stellar performance.”
The 2026 Capitol City Challenge brought sixteen teams from top schools across the nation to Washington DC to simulate a complex manslaughter trial. Over the course of the competition, the squad tried the case five times, flipping between defense and prosecution. Loudenslager credits their success to their preparation. “We spent about six weeks practicing the case from every angle we could think of,” he said. “That let us be prepared to expect the unexpected and by the time we got to the tournament, we were able to focus on the material we prepared instead of only reacting to the other side.”
Thomas offered insight into what that looked like in the weeks leading up to the competition and how it paid off under pressure. “Miron and Tom (both in charge of opening statements) expertly set the tone in each round and received serious compliments from the judges for their ability to captivate the attention of the room,” he said. “While they made it look easy under the bright lights, they should also be commended for the foundation of that success: hours on their own tinkering with each and every facet of their respective messages, and days on end in collaborative team meetings to get to the bottom of what our case theory really was.”
Sergeev both echoed the pride in his teammates and expressed gratitude for their coaches. “It was a great honor to advance to the semi-finals and come in top four at the 2026 Capitol City Challenge! I’m super grateful for our coaches, Dale and Dot, who trained us to be powerful trial advocates. And I’m really proud of my fellow teammates—Amir, Michael, and Tom—for the strong fight we put up ‘in court,’” he said. “Glad we brought back a trophy to add to the National Trial Team’s growing collection. Go Temple Law!”
“Dale and Dot were invaluable in getting us ready for the competition,” added Thomas. “Whether through direction, suggestion, or sheer ‘hey let’s see if this might work’ moments, they kept the ship steady and kept us confident in our own abilities. Once we were on the ground in DC, their flexibility, willingness to think outside the box between rounds, and trust in us to handle issues as they arose were gifts. Simply put.”
Borghaei expressed his pride in representing Temple Law and gratitude for everything he learned. “This competition was a wonderful experience, and I’m thrilled that I had the opportunity to represent Temple at the highest level,” he said. “I’m beyond grateful to my coaches and my teammates, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had the chance to learn and compete in such a fast-paced environment. Even though we may not have gotten the top prize, the experience was invaluable, and I’m sure it will only help me be that much better of an advocate when I eventually start arguing real cases after graduation.”
Thomas is confident that Borghaei will find success after graduation, too. “As a closer for the prosecution, Amir found ways to totally deconstruct defense arguments on the fly. His responsiveness in the moment on exams, objections, and arguments alike was a joy to watch as a teammate. I don’t know if you can print this, but the guy absolutely killed it and deserves props for how he carried himself. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to deliver a closing argument after he sat down at the end of his own.”