Ciara Thomas of Villanova University's Charles Widger School of Law placed second in the Montgomery County District Attorney's 27th Annual Summer Intern Mock Trial Competition, putting the Lower Merion Township law school on the podium of one of the region's most competitive legal training programs.

Thomas, one of 14 second-year law students in the competition, teamed with Jake McCabe of Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law for the runner-up finish. The final round was held Wednesday, Aug. 5. District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced the results on Friday, Aug. 7.

First place went to Carson Francis of Widener University Delaware Law School and Molly Frey of Charleston School of Law. They received BARBRI bar exam preparation course tuition as their prize.

The four finalists prosecuted a fictitious murder case before a jury of prosecutors from the DA's office, including Steele himself. First Assistant District Attorney Edward F. McCann Jr. presided as judge. First-year law students and undergraduate interns acted as witnesses.

All 14 competitors were certified by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to practice law in Magisterial District Court and the Court of Common Pleas during their summer internships. That meant real courtroom work. Throughout the summer, the interns handled Gagnon hearings, guilty pleas, summary appeals and other proceedings under the supervision of assistant district attorneys.

The DA's summer intern class totaled 48 people from 30 colleges and law schools, including students from Cornell, Duke, Howard and Notre Dame. Two high school students from Perkiomen Valley also participated.

The competition has run for 27 consecutive years. No future competition date has been announced.