This two-week program is designed for students who plan to compete in mock trial during the academic year and want extended time to develop case strategy, witness theory, evidentiary mastery, and courtroom adaptability under competitive conditions.
This two-week practicum is a competition-forward mock trial experience designed for students who intend to participate in interscholastic mock trial during the academic year. Unlike introductory programs, the focus is on sustained case development, strategic refinement, and performance under competitive conditions.
Students will work intensively with experienced mock trial coaches and attorneys to analyze a full mock trial case file in depth, develop cohesive trial theory, refine witness examinations, master evidentiary objections, and adapt arguments dynamically in response to opposing counsel.
The extended format allows students to rehearse multiple trial iterations, receive detailed feedback, and make strategic adjustments—mirroring the preparation process used by successful competitive teams. Emphasis is placed on teamwork, role specialization, courtroom presence, and decision-making under pressure.
This program is best suited for students with prior mock trial experience or a clear intention to compete. Students seeking an introduction to mock trial or a lower-pressure skills-based experience are encouraged to consider the one-week Mock Trial program.
The Mock Trial Competition Intensive is a two-week, immersion-based practicum designed for students who plan to participate in competitive mock trial during the academic year and are ready for sustained, high-level preparation.
Students work through a full mock trial case file over two weeks, allowing time for deep analysis, strategic refinement, and multiple trial iterations. Instruction emphasizes the skills and decision-making required in competitive settings, including case theory development, role specialization, evidentiary strategy, and adaptability in the courtroom.
Core Areas of Focus
Case Theory & Strategy
Students develop a cohesive trial theory and learn how to align opening statements, witness examinations, evidentiary objections, and closing arguments around a unified narrative. Emphasis is placed on strategic choices that influence judges and scoring in competitive rounds.
Witness Preparation & Examination
Participants practice direct and cross-examination techniques with an emphasis on control, responsiveness, impeachment, and effective use of facts and inferences. Students learn how to adjust questioning in real time based on witness performance and opposing counsel tactics.
Rules of Evidence & Objections
Students deepen their understanding of evidentiary rules commonly used in competitive mock trial and practice making, responding to, and arguing objections efficiently and persuasively under time constraints.
Opening & Closing Advocacy
Instruction focuses on constructing clear, compelling openings and closings that integrate legal theory, facts, and witness testimony. Students receive targeted feedback on organization, delivery, persuasion, and strategic emphasis.
Competitive Trial Practice
The extended format allows for multiple full-length mock trials conducted under competition-style conditions. Students receive detailed critiques from instructors and guest evaluators, with time built in for reflection, revision, and re-trial.
Instructional Approach
Students work closely with experienced mock trial instructors—often practicing attorneys or coaches with competitive mock trial backgrounds—who provide individualized feedback and guide students through increasingly complex trial scenarios. The program emphasizes collaboration, preparation discipline, and strategic thinking, mirroring the expectations of successful competitive teams.
Outcome
By the end of the two-week intensive, students leave with a deeper understanding of competitive mock trial structure, stronger courtroom presence, and practical strategies they can bring directly into the mock trial season.
This intensive is best suited for students with prior mock trial experience or a clear intention to compete. Students seeking an introductory or lower-pressure experience are encouraged to consider the one-week Mock Trial program.
The two-week intensive is offered only once each summer at Stanford University. If this course does not fit into your summer plans, please consider our one-week camp which is available both in person and online.
| Program | Grades | Location | Start Date | End Date | Price Options | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mock Trial 2-week Competition Intensive | 9 - 12 | Stanford University | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 26, 2026 | Enroll |
Price Options for Mock Trial 2-week Competition Intensive
| Extended Day Camp | $4,865 |
| Overnight Camp | $5,675 |
Education Unlimited believes in small-group, immersive learning with subject matter experts and experienced teachers. We strive to provide industry-leading instruction to all of our students and hold all staff to the highest possible standards. Staff assignments vary by program and location. Some of our recent staff members for this program include:
Aishwarya Naidu, JD - Instructor
Aishwarya Naidu, JD - Instructor
Aishwarya Naidu, a practicing state criminal prosecutor and Deputy Attorney General with the Department of Justice, brings 12 years of legal experience to her role. She regularly handles criminal trials, preliminary hearings, and other evidentiary proceedings in state court, specializing in complex white-collar crime cases. B
efore her career as a prosecutor, Aishwarya gained over seven years of experience as a mock trial competitor in both college and law school. At the University of San Diego School of Law, she was a key member of the nationally ranked USD Mock Trial Team, winning the Western Regional Championships and advancing to Nationals. She also secured first place in USD’s Thorsnes Closing Argument Competition. As an undergraduate at Cal Poly Pomona, Aishwarya's team advanced to Nationals for two consecutive years, and she received an All-Region Attorney award.
Since graduating, Aishwarya has dedicated herself to mentoring college and high school mock trial students, helping them build confidence and refine their advocacy skills. This is her first summer with Education Unlimited, where she believes that teaching mock trial in a camp setting will create an interactive and enjoyable environment for students to cultivate their passion for advocacy.
Byron Arthur, JD - Instructor
Byron Arthur is a practicing attorney from New Orleans, Louisiana. As an acclaimed debate coach, he brings the perfect pairing of experience to our Mock Trial and American Legal Experience programs: legal knowledge and expertise combined with impeccable public speaking and critical thinking skills, which he has taught at the high school level for close to 20 years. He has been an instructor and debate coach for organizations such as the Harvard Debate Council, Holy Cross School of New Orleans, Jesuit High School, and the Stuart Hall School for Boys.
In the speech and debate world, Byron has had students in elimination rounds at all major national tournaments. He is a member of the Gold Key Society of the Barkley Forum at Emory University, The Blue/Green and Gold Society of the Glenbrooks, and a Two-Diamond Coach of the National Speech and Debate Association. Recently, Byron was elected to the NSDA coaches Hall of Fame, the nation's highest honor of accomplishment for speech and debate coaches.
Steven Kennedy, JD - Instructor
Steven Kennedy is an acting attorney and adjunct professor at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Steven has more than 20 years of trial experience in insurance law and civil litigation. He is currently a senior trial attorney for a major national insurance company. For the past 13 years, Steven has also been an adjunct professor who teaches Trial Advocacy in the political science department of Clark University, where he is also the Director of the Mock Trial Program. The Clark Mock Trial team is nationally ranked and has regularly advanced to national tournaments and won numerous individual awards under his direction.
Steven believes that teaching mock trial curriculum in a camp setting offers an ideal setting and atmosphere for students to learn the valuable skills of advocacy in a fun and safe learning environment.