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.