June 28, 2011
On Saturday May 14, 2011, over 240 students from 13 area
Catholic schools and their families came together at the Law School
for the annual Catholic Middle School Mock Trial Program, which is
jointly sponsored by St. Brigid/Our Lady of Hope Regional School in
Westbury and St. John’s School of Law. The participating schools
were:
- Blessed Sacrament School, Valley Stream
- The De La Salle School, Freeport
- Genesis at Xaverian High School, Brooklyn
- Notre Dame School, New Hyde Park
- Our Lady of Peace School, Lynbrook
- Our Lady of Victory School, Floral Park
- Ss. Cyril & Methodius School, Deer Park
- St. Brigid/Our Lady of Hope Regional School, Westbury
- St. Ignatius, Hicksville
- St. Martin de Porres Marianist School, Uniondale
- St. Patrick School, Bayshore
- St. Peter of Alcantara School, Port Washington
- St. Thomas the Apostle School, West Hempstead
The schools fielded teams to argue a case involving a
world-class athlete who was hit by a car during a late-night jog.
The defendant, a high school student, was returning from a Senior
Night party at which alcohol was served. The witnesses to the
hit-and-run incident included the plaintiff, an elderly eyewitness,
the investigating police officer, the defendant, a classmate, and a
school guidance counselor. The students spent weeks preparing their
cases and practicing with lawyer coaches and mentors. On the day of
the mock trial, they presented their cases in a realistic setting
with the following Law School faculty, alumni and friends
volunteering as judges:
- Samantha Alessi '11
- Andrea Clarke '06, Assistant District Attorney, Kings
County
- Jeffrey P. DeGeorges, Geisler & Gabriele LLP
- Eric Del Pozo '08, Chambers of Hon. Raymond J. Dearie,
EDNY
- Erica Fine '82, Associate Director, BAR/BRI
- Antara Kanth '06, Assistant District Attorney, Queens
County
- Michael Levenstein, Esq., Private Practice
- Matthew Mundo, Assistant Director, BAR/BRI
- Craig Rokuson '06, White, Fleischner & Fino, LLP
- Thomas E. Rooney ‘10, Assistant District Attorney, Queens
County
- Kerry Rowe '06, Assistant District Attorney, Kings County
- Andrew J. Simons '65, Vice Dean Emeritus, St. John’s Law
School
- Michael Smith '10, Chambers of Hon. Richard J. Sullivan,
SDNY
“Mock trial programs such as this one offer children an
invaluable educational opportunity,” said Dean
Michael A. Simons one of the co-organizers of the event. ”They
learn about our legal system, develop their analytical and
reasoning skills, practice public speaking and build up their
self-confidence.” Dean Simons was also impressed with the students’
level of preparation and the poise they exhibited in a
high-pressure setting. “These kids may be only 12 or 13, but they
were acting like real trial lawyers – thinking on their feet,
making their arguments with passion and conviction, and then
nervously awaiting the verdict.”
Photo Gallery
The mock trial judges were also impressed with the students.
Describing her experience as “truly one of those feel good
moments,” Erica Fine ’82 praised the students for their hard work
and enthusiasm and noted how important it is for adults to be part
of programs that help prepare children for future endeavors. She
also observed that the mock case clearly “illustrated how actions
have consequences and thus served a double for purpose for the
students and parents alike.”
Paul Clagnaz,
the Principal at St. Brigid/Our Lady of Hope and co-organizer of
the event, commended St. John’s for hosting the program. “St.
John’s has been extraordinarily welcoming and accommodating,” he
said. “The program has grown every year, and we couldn’t ask for a
better reception and a more rewarding experience for the hundreds
of students and their guests.” Mr. Clagnaz also praised the
partnership between the grade schools and the University as a model
for the kind of innovative programs that can immeasurably enrich
Catholic education.
Noting that the annual Catholic Middle School Mock Trial Program
fits well with the University’s Vincentian mission, Dean Simons
said: “St. John’s is committed to opening up the pipeline to law
school for students who might not otherwise be exposed to these
opportunities.” Other School of Law pipeline initiatives include
the Prep Program for College Students and the Legal Outreach
Program, both sponsored by
The Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights and Economic
Development.