2008 Woodie Awards
Mock trial team
Rachael Yarmosh
Issue date: 3/2/06 Section: News
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So how did the Mock Trial Team launch?
"Last fall, Nick Passalacqua, a government major and kicker on the football team, came to me and asked if I would help him start a mock trial team at SHU. Nick competed in high school and enjoyed it and wanted to get something going here. I approached Dean Paolini and she agreed to provide the initial funds so we could register with the national organization and compete in the regional championships at St. John's University. I agreed to be the coach/advisor for the team and Nick is the president," said Semel.
"I wanted to start a Mock Trial Team here at SHU because I had been the captain of my high school team for 3 years and really enjoyed it. Once I found out there was a collegiate level of mock trial I immediately started putting things together and taking every step necessary to begin a competitive team at SHU," said Nick Passalaqua, junior, Utica, N.Y, current president of the Mock Trial Team.
The American Mock Trial Association is a national organization that holds yearly competitions based on a court case created by the organization. Each fall, the AMTA distributes a court case to the organization's members. Students on the team prepare the case as if they were "real" lawyers; they portray prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, and witnesses, plan strategy, and learn rules of evidence. Then teams compete or try the cases against each other across the country. Judges at the competitions award points based on mastery of the facts of the cases, court rules, preparation, and court room presence.
Two weeks ago, the seven members of the "varsity" team went to St. John's University where they successfully competed in the regional championships. With Passalacqua as their president, the other varsity members who competed include Natalie DiDonna, Tiffany Willshaw, Kara Simpliciano, Jillian Hoxsie, Joe Rea, and Vin Contino.
"The team performed superbly. Team members really worked selflessly for the last five months to prepare for the regional championships and they performed better than some lawyers with whom I've been to court. While the team won no group or individual awards, they won several rounds at the competition and they held their own against powerhouses like Columbia University, Fordham, and New York University," said Semel. "The team deserves recognition for fantastic job they have done."