San Francisco Law Academy
One, Two, Three: SAN FRANCISCO!
2010 Mock Trial competition brings out best in local high school students
BASF’s high school mock trial competition ended on February 25, 2010, with more than one winner. School of the Arts (SOTA) and Mission High School were the two teams that squared off in the final. After the presiding judge announced that SOTA had won, in stead of each team going off into different directions celebrating or lamenting, the students from both schools gathered hands in the center of the court room and on the count of ‘One, two, three’ shouted “San Francisco!” These students were no longer competitors, but comrades united in the idea that now it was time to win for the city in the state competition.
The mock trial program is part of the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) statewide competition and involved six San Francisco high schools. The legal community once again stepped up in its contributions: Several law firms donated money to cover students’ registrations and travel costs; 35 attorneys coached for four months leading up to the competition; more than a dozen volunteers, including sitting judges presided; and San Francisco Superior Court generously donated the use of its courtrooms.
The program was designed to help students acquire a working knowledge of the judicial system, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and learn the fundamentals of persuasive public speaking and evidence advocacy. BASF sponsors the program as a means for increasing interest among students in entering the legal profession.
And while it was clear that every student was well versed, the signature of this competition was congeniality. Within 24 hours of the final match, Mission High School, as well as other teams that had been eliminated, came forth and offered to scrimmage SOTA in preparation for the state finals.
In competitions like this, there are no losers. San Francisco won on February 25 and all the coaches can feel quite proud.
For more information about the Mock Trial program, contact Jayne Salinger at jsalinger@sfbar.org.
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