From robotics to crochet to food and climate justice, there’s no shortage of clubs for students to choose from at the high school. But, the number of clubs in which students on a team wear dress pants and blazers and argue cases in front of practicing judges is limited to one: Mock Trial.
The Mock Trial team provides students with the opportunity to experience the legal system firsthand by simulating real courtroom trials, while also promoting public speaking skills, critical thinking and teamwork. Club members are presented with a complicated case, then take on roles such as witnesses or attorneys and prepare evidence for both sides of the case. The team then competes at courthouses across the Boston area against the Mock Trial teams of other schools and in front of practicing attorneys to convincingly argue their side of the case.
Flo Spunt, a senior and captain of Mock Trial, runs club meetings on Monday and Wednesday during Z block and helps the team prepare for their cases.
“When we get a case, Maria (another captain) and I read through the case and try to pull together the story and pieces of what each side is arguing so that we can go and relay that to the rest of the team,” Spunt said. “Then, we just help facilitate a little bit, but really just work together with the rest of the team so that we can understand both sides of the case and prepare well.”
Karin Welker is the adviser for the club. She is a retired trial attorney herself, who also works in the special education department. Welker said Mock Trial gives her the opportunity to interact with many students who she normally would not have worked with at school and keeps her involved in the world of law.
“It has been a great experience for me to be able to watch these future lawyers of America,” Welker said. “This club is really well-organized and it’s really well-run. It’s a great team. There’s a lot of camaraderie and they’re really encouraging people to come in at all levels.”
Sophomore Harper Litwack is currently in her second year on the Mock Trial team. Litwack said she and her friend saw the club advertised freshman year. Since then, they have been attending club meetings regularly.
“I think I’ll do it all four years of high school, and the hope is to become a captain at one point,” Litwack said. “It’s just a fun club and everyone is welcome to join.”
According to Welker, Mock Trial provides students with an exhilarating courtroom adrenaline rush and valuable life skills, whether or not a student is interested in going into law.
“Everybody’s learning in baby steps, but it gives you real exposure to what a trial would be like,” Welker said. “Even if you don’t even go into law school or into the legal field, it’s a great thing for critical thinking, public speaking and for team building and teamwork. You’re all working on one case as a team, and you have to really be able to think that way too.”
Spunt emphasized the profound impact Mock Trial has had on many aspects of her life. She said she has learned a lot and gained confidence, all while having fun.
“I think Mock Trial has really had a positive impact on my life in terms of my speaking abilities and thinking abilities, and, of course, all the friends I’ve made through it,” Spunt said. “I’m so, so glad that I joined freshman year and continued on from there.”
Spunt recently attended her final Mock Trial competition, which she said was bittersweet, but she ended her Mock Trial experience on a high note.
“We had our last trial of the year, my last trial ever, a few weeks ago. We went to the Newton District Courthouse, and we ended up winning that trial,” Spunt said. “We were talking to the whole team beforehand, and we were saying, ‘this is going to be great, let’s make it the best one,’ and then we ended up winning. It was really, really nice to end off on that note, and to show our strong team.”