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Mock Trial Team

"The number of Black lawyers in the United States is at a standstill at a time when issues of justice, race, political and socioeconomic inequalities are at a boiling point...Lawyers can play powerful roles in so many critical sectors of society...Yet now we have a situation where young Blacks even mildly interested in the legal profession do not see themselves in those positions of leadership; in elected office; or in the boardroom and courtroom."

"Opinion: Given law’s importance, America needs more Black lawyers"

By Ernest L. Greer, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

October 29, 2021

A Winning Tradition

At Dillard, Mock Trial is more than a competition. It is an opportunity to affect change--real change. Founded in 2016, Dillard Mock Trial has quickly proven itself to be a force in the college mock trial universe. Only two years after its founding, Dillard Mock Trial reached the opening round of the national competition. The first time the team reached the Opening Round Championship Series was 2018.

In the 2020-2021 season, Dillard Mock Trial came in first place in two competitions: the University of Alabama's Crimson Classic Tournament and Pace University's Constanga Classic. These wins were particularly impressive given that the entire season was conducted via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The 2021-2022 season saw DU Mock Trial reach new heights. For the first time, the team qualified for the American Mock Trial Association's National Championship Tournament (NCT), making it the first Louisiana team to accomplish such a feat. The team scored an impressive 7-0-1 ballots, even besting #13 Northwestern University in the Opening Round Championship Series.

Dillard's trip to the NCT made them one of the top teams in the nation, earning the Spirit of AMTA Award for the team “that best exemplifies the spirit of the organization — civility, professionalism, and fair play.” Reneé Simien won an All-American Witness Award and Lajeanne Shelton won an All-American Attorney Award.

What is Mock Trial?

Mock Trial is a competition that simulates an actual courtroom trial. The American Mock Trial Association, of which Dillard is a member, presents a fictional case for the year of competition, and that case alternates between a civil and a criminal case. Six members of the trial compete at any given, and those members are split into three attorneys and three witnesses. These six compete against six other competitors from a different university. Teams must prepare both sides of the case (prosecution/plaintiff and defense) for every competition, and any given competitor can have two roles, one for each side of the case. 

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