Iowa State’s Mock Trial Team may not have “Ally McBeal,” but its practice in law and order is taking members to the top.

For the seventh time, Mock Trial’s work has resulted in a trip to nationals at the annual Mock Trial Tournament.

The tournament will be held April 14-16 at Drake University. Richard Caulkins, foremost dean of Drake Law School, founded the Mock Trial program 16 years ago.

The ISU team has shown consistent success as they have placed ninth, seventh, fifth and third in past years at nationals.

“You know what odd number comes next in that sequence,” said member Scott Sevcik, junior in aerospace engineering. “We’re going for one more.”

Team member Tiffany Clauson said Mock Trial’s recognition is well-deserved.

“I think it’s just as important and challenging as any sport. It’s an academic challenge,” said Clauson, freshman in pre-journalism and mass communication. “It’s a challenge physically as far as having to be able to put on a performance, and it’s also challenging mentally. It’s a lot like acting — like ‘Law and Order,’ only better.”

Clauson said the team members became national qualifiers after attending the Regional Mock Trial Competition in Lacrosse, Wis., two weeks ago. Iowa State placed both second and third, and only the top four schools could qualify for nationals.

The other two schools that will accompany Iowa State from regionals are the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Hamline University in Minneapolis.

Iowa State will be facing fierce competition from more than 50 universities and colleges, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford and local competitor Drake.

“What makes us different is that we qualified and we don’t even have a law program,” Clauson said. “We are nationally recognized, and we do well consistently.”

Member Teresa Delanty said since the team’s win at regionals, it has been committed to long hours of practice with the help of its lawyer coaches Greg Bal and Christine Bransted.

“I’ve learned a lot from the coaches — how to get along, compromise on ideas and just getting out there and speaking,” said Delanty, senior in genetics. “You also learn to always stay on your toes and know how to throw back whatever they give.”

Bransted, a lawyer in Des Moines who has been coaching the team for five years, said she always sees different strengths within each team and member.

“We have a lot of new faces this year, a lot of them being first-year Mock Trial students who have put forth an extraordinary amount of effort,” Bransted said. “For veterans, their biggest challenge is maintaining enthusiasm. Two of them have seen Mock Trial place third in nationals and know what is like to be on a winning team, but all of them have contributed a great deal of work.”

As for nationals, Bransted said the team has a long way to go to be ready, but the members are on the right track.

“I’d be surprised if there is any team out there who is actually prepared for nationals,” Bransted said. “I treat [meetings] as a practice, not a class. I put it in the hands of the students. It’s like being a coach for athletics. I may have some drills, but they are going to do the writing, talking and strategies.”