Get in touch: (800) 551-3410
By the Juris Education Interview Team
Anna Taylor is President of the Connecticut College Mock Trial Team.
Typically, mock trials last around three hours and consist of opening statements, followed by the plaintiff or prosecution calling three witnesses to present their case. The defense gets the opportunity to cross-examine all of those witnesses before a brief recess, after which the defense presents their case and the plaintiff/prosecution cross-examines. The trial is concluded by opening statements from both sides.
Aside from the obvious benefit of gaining experience in a trial setting, Mock Trial strengthens public speaking skills and student confidence. Personally, I did not have any experience in Mock Trial before coming to college, but previous experience in public speaking gave me an advantage and allowed me to excel. Even if a student is not comfortable in front of a group before beginning Mock Trial, practicing and competing is a great way to develop interpersonal skills and confidence.
The most challenging aspect of Mock Trial is definitely the preparation. Mock Trial is a lot of work outside of trial - writing direct examinations, preparing for any number of crosses, developing case theory, the list goes on and on. However, all of that hard work comes to fruition in the trial setting, where you get the satisfaction of arguing a well-reasoned case and, hopefully, beating the other team on prepared objections and practiced cross-examinations.
There is no feeling more satisfying as a witness than knowing your materials more than your crossing attorney, even if it means spending hours poring over your report or affidavit.
Mock Trial helps students learn and understand part of what the experience of a trial attorney is. Both the experience of the trial itself and the competition provide a glimpse into the preparation and presentation of case theory, evidence, and statements that all make up part of the job of a trial attorney. Even if a student is not preparing to be a trial attorney, Mock Trial is invaluable in gaining experience in reading fact patterns and building a case based on available evidence, witnesses, and case law.
Just go for it. Don’t be too shy or overwhelmed by people who have more experience than you. Mock Trial tends to attract people with big personalities, but don’t let that dissuade you. Make sure you put the effort in, show up to meetings, and commit yourself to learning, because there is so much Mock Trial can teach you.
Many schools have Mock Trial competition teams, which are the best opportunity for students looking to get into Mock Trial. Many schools have multiple teams - at Connecticut College, we have 2-4 competition teams depending on the year and how many interested students we have. We place people on teams based on experience, team dynamic, and competition goals. What I would give as advice is don’t be upset if you are placed on a team you may feel is not where you want to be. In that case, it is an opportunity for you to become a leader or captain and rank highly in trial, growing as both a competitor and a leader. Your Captain (or whoever is assigning teams) probably sees an opportunity for you or the team that you might not.
Juris Education is proud to interview experts like Anna Taylor to help future lawyers understand the benefits of extracurricular involvement in college. Learn more about how our experts can help you get into law school today.
