SU Acting Graduate Bevin Taylor ’25 Wins Best Oral Advocate at Scalia Law School
Acting skills are proving to be a superpower for Bevin Taylor ’25, who recently received the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University’s prestigious Thacher Best Oral Advocate Award.
Taylor’s rise to top advocate is powered by an impressive background in theater and an extraordinary record of leadership in legal education and competition. A graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory’s acting program, Taylor brings a rare, performance-honed poise to her legal studies. Now a second-year law student, she has built an outstanding profile both inside and outside the classroom as the captain of the SU National Trail Competition team, teaching assistant for Trial Advocacy and Movement for Actors, and was honored as the 2025 Outstanding Graduate in the Conservatory.
I am so appreciative that ShenCo gave me the opportunity to begin my legal studies while still following my passion for theatre,” she continued. “I knew I was interested in law when I began school, but becoming captain of Mock Trial and learning from Professor Jeffery Harding solidified my goals and gave me the tools to pursue law school. Competing in Mock Trial and serving as a teaching assistant provided me with a fantastic foundation in legal reasoning and courtroom procedure that continues to serve me. Receiving the Best Oral Advocate Award for the Defense was incredibly meaningful to me, and I believe it reflects the foundation I built at Shenandoah. I am so thankful for the SU community, and will always carry what I’ve learned with me!”
The Thacher Best Oral Advocate Award is presented to the competitor who demonstrates exceptional trial presence, persuasive oral arguments, quick-thinking responsiveness to judges’ questions, and flawless professional demeanor throughout the competition rounds at Scalia Law School.
“I am endlessly grateful for my education at ShenCo and for the incredible professors and mentors in the acting department who helped shape the advocate I am today,” Taylor shared. “I have always believed wholeheartedly in the importance of theatre and the power of performing arts. Theatre teaches you so much more than how to perform. It teaches you empathy, collaboration, critical thinking, adaptability, and so many other skills that are valuable to any profession. In my case, I find myself relying on them every day in law school and in the legal profession.”
