BU’s Mock Trial Team, a student organization coached by the CAS Pre-Law Advising Office, won an honorable mention at the American Mock Trial Association National Championship Tournament. Held April 17-19 in Des Moines, Iowa, the competition is the culmination of months of work, and teams must place well at regional tournaments just to qualify.
Congratulations to Ed Stern, assistant dean for pre-law advising and coach of the team, and to the eight team members: Amanda Fretto (Co-Captain), Karen Alunkal (Co-Captain), Natalie Robinson, Lorenzo Cabantog, Tara Singh, Michael Ferruggia, Tom Leonard, and Matt Lytle. Of the 610 teams that competed in 24 regional competitions, only 48 teams were invited to the national tournament.
In a mock trial, participants argue civil cases and are judged based on the quality of their arguments. Coach Stern, who has coached the BU team ever since it began in 1993, said this year’s team was a terrific group. “They were everything you want a team to be,” he said. “They were very supportive of each other. They worked hard. These competitions give them a lot of confidence in thinking on their feet, public speaking, and working with others.”