Mock Trial Program Moves Online with New Updated Cases

With many students across the Commonwealth learning remotely this fall, Discovering Justice is making sure students have access to this 20-year old program by building an online platform. The revisions to the program will ensure that the unique relationships between our legal partners and our students are preserved and that students learn the civic skills necessary to engage in civic activity.

Senior Education Associate Luke Matys worked with lawyers from Liberty Mutual and WilmerHale to create two new Mock Trial cases. The new cases bring students’ First Amendment rights to the forefront. The Liberty Mutual team consisting of Xena Robinson, Cameron Panepinto, and Jackie Doherty helped build a fact pattern that explores the intersection of free speech and cyberbullying. Led by David Rollins-Boyd, Jamie Haddad, and Drew Fosque, the WilmerHale team created a case investigating the tension of a school newspaper’s desire to uncover a groundbreaking scandal, and a school administration’s desire to protect the privacy of their underaged students. Discovering Justice will introduce these cases this Fall for middle school students across the Commonwealth. 

 The Mock Trial Program is open to students in grades 6-8 and attorneys interested in becoming legal mentors. If your law office or school is interested in participating in the after school mock trial program, please contact the program’s coordinator, Luke Matys, at lmatys@discoveringjustice.org.