Two first year law students re-established the Mock Trial Team in 2011. This new organization strives to put UMass Law on the map and build its reputation among the top law schools in the United States.
Mock Trial is a national competition team whose members prepare a civil or criminal case to present before esteemed judges and lawyers. Each team prepares both a plaintiff/prosecution and defense case for each competition.
Teams consist of four members: two lawyers and two witnesses. Depending on the tournament, each team competes against other law schools and judged according to their creative use of the law, knowledge of the case, and presentation of the facts. Successful performance in these competitions will not only earn UMass Law national recognition, but also in some circumstances earn the team scholastic funding.
By preparing for these competitions, the organization hopes to improve members’ public speaking, team work, and trial skills.