BAEC Bulletin | November/December 2022 | 9
Every year, thousands of students across New York State compete in the New York State Bar Association’s High School Mock Trial Tournament, administered locally by the Bar Association of Erie County. This competition empowers students to perform as witnesses or advocate as attorneys in a hypothetical trial before volunteer judges from the practicing Bar. Success in the competition requires students to hone their public speaking and critical reasoning skills in a collaborative, team-oriented environment. As part of their preparation, students are required to analyze evidence and craft a case theory to advance in court. To do this, each team is provided a set of affidavits and evidence to review. The evidence provided has included anything from mock financial and medical records, to maps, to even song lyrics. Students must then piece together the evidence to create a persuasive theory of their case. This process compels students to think critically about how each piece of evidence relates to others, and how that evidence can be persuasively deployed to achieve client objectives. Much like they would in the actual practice of law, students must determine the most effective way to make their case to the finder of fact. This requires students to consider how to present the evidence to someone with little knowledge of the case. In addition to considering what evidence is the most persuasive, and how to present that evidence, student attorneys must consider whether that evidence is admissible under an abridged version of the rules of evidence, and be prepared to offer argument concerning application of evidentiary rules in competition.
Not surprisingly, mock trial helps students practice and build confidence in public speaking and presentation skills, which serve them well as future attorneys, or in whatever professional paths they choose to pursue in the future. Perhaps more important, as we can attest from personal experience, mock trial participants also forge lasting friendships with their teammates through hours of practice and competition. As we pursue our own legal careers, we have never forgotten our experiences competing in mock trial. There is no better activity for developing public speaking and critical reasoning proficiency, while also learning respect for the law and the role of the courts in its application. •
CRAIG BUCKI Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP Member of the 1997 NYSBA Highschool Mock Trial Tournament State Championship team representing Canisus High school
MITCHELL P. SNYDER Associate, Phillips Lytle LLP
Member of the 2015 NSYBA Highschool Mock Trial Tournament State Championship team representing Clarence High School
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2023 MOCK TRIAL PROGRAM AND TO VOLUNTEER CONTACT MATT FITZGERALD, CHAIR OF THE MOCK TRIAL COMMITTEE AT MFITZGERALD@PHILLIPSLYTLE.COM
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT THE BAR ASSOCIATION OF ERIE COUNTY
Powered by FlippingBook