ON THE RISE
Baxendale, Adjunct Instructor of Law, and a former Mock they’ve established. They recognize that a team is only as
Trial competitor for Johns Hopkins who also teaches math at strong as the weakest link, and they are here to support each
Patterson Park Public Charter School. other both in and out of the courtroom. The season starts
The polish and poise of the attorneys and witnesses is
often what makes the difference between a win and a loss.
Memorizing arguments and lines of questioning are essential.
In addition to strong communication and presentation skills,
critical thinking, creativity, and analytical abilities are all in
play through the Mock Trial experience.
Judging in Mock Trial has an element of subjectivity.
very quickly, and students who might not have been friends,
let alone know each other, suddenly become a family.”
REACHING THE NEXT
LEVEL: NATIONALS
Scores are not tallied until after the round is complete, so Stevenson University’s Mock Trial program is on the move.
participants don’t know how they are doing until the round Qualifying for ORCS in 2019 helped the team make a big
is over. Maintaining composure and projecting confidence leap into the next level of competition. They will now have
during the trial are key, notes student Jaden Thornton, who a national ranking and will be invited to compete more fre-
won an Outstanding Attorney award the 2019 Regional quently and participate in bigger tournaments. These experi-
tournament. “If you know the case inside and out—and ences will challenge the students and help the team improve.
know the rules—it builds confidence when you are arguing Competing in more tournaments will also help the team ex-
a point.” pand their reputation, and the coaches are confident that
THE HEART OF THE TEAM
The strong commitment and community that characterizes
Stevenson’s Mock Trial program is clear after spending just
a few minutes with any member of the team or with one of
their coaches.
Snyder has taught Legal Studies at Stevenson since
2000, and Mock Trial has become her passion. Trainings,
competitions, and, most important, the students themselves
are close to Snyder’s heart, and the students know it. During
the height of competition season, it is not unusual for her to
be practicing with students via video chat in the evenings or
on weekends. In 2017, she found a kindred spirit in Baxendale.
With an established competition record, Baxendale is now
the second coach of the Stevenson team.
All of the time, energy, and passion that the coaches pour
into Mock Trial is returned to them tenfold. In a meeting
with the team, words like “community” and “family” flow
easily as the students discuss their experiences. Students
come to Mock Trial from a range of academic and personal
backgrounds, and this diversity is part of what makes
Stevenson’s team so strong. “Working with a lot of different
both Stevenson’s A and B teams will be going to ORCS before
too long. The students and coaches are extremely grateful to
their sponsors who are making this travel and participation
possible, including the Murthy Law Firm, Mr. and Mrs. Ran-
dolph Brinton, and RBC Wealth Management, as well as ad-
ditional gifts from Miles & Stockbridge P.C., DLA Piper LLP,
and the many friends of the Mock Trial program.
The case file for the 2019-2020 competition season will
drop on August 15, 2019, and Stevenson’s Mock Trial teams
will not miss a beat. The students and their coaches will
begin reading, researching, and planning, looking ahead to
the first competition of a season that will hopefully see them
competing at the national level. Regardless of any future
wins—and losses sometimes—Stevenson’s Mock Trial team is
creating bonds, lifetime career skills, and legacies that will
endure long after the final closing argument is delivered.
“Our team doesn't settle,” says Snyder. “They consistently
strive to improve and perform successfully at higher
and higher levels. They take much more than a win-loss
record from a tournament. They are using these experiences
to help them refine their oral communication and analytical
skills, and that makes them ready to compete at a national
level or, one day, in a courtroom for clients.” SU
types of people and learning their strengths improves both
the whole team and each team member,” said student Alexis
Holloway.
“Students join Mock Trial expecting to build their legal
experience,” adds Snyder. “That definitely happens, but
when you ask our students to reflect on their experience,
the biggest thing that jumps out is the sense of community
Cheryl A. Wilson, Ph.D., is Dean of Stevenson’s School of
Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of English. Her
enthusiasm for the works of Jane Austen and 19th century
British culture might only be surpassed by her growing love for
Mock Trial.
STEVENSON.EDU
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