A few weeks ago I returned from Law Camp! 

This all started in February when my school career counselor posted about different programs that would be hosted over the summer.  One of the programs was The Hon. Thomas D. Horne Leadership in the Law Program

Since I was about nine years old, I have known that I wanted to go to law school. Consuming law related media such as Legally Blonde since an early age, combined with becoming socially aware and watching the news at a critical point in the human rights discussion led me down this path. 

The camp seemed like the perfect way to get more exposure to the legal world. Luckily the application was very straightforward. A recommendation letter, list of extracurriculars, and an essay.  At first I did not think I had been accepted, about a month had gone by without hearing anything. But one day my father received an email, and shortly after I received an envelope in the mail! 

The camp consisted of five jammed pack days full of activities, all leading up to the conclusion, a mock trial.

For the sake of organization I am going to organize this into four sections: Preparing for Camp, Cool Activities, and All Things Mock Trial.

Preparing for Camp

Believe it or not this was my first time going to camp. Throughout elementary school my parents would ask me if I wanted to go to a sleep away camp, and my answer was always no. I write all this to say that I didn’t know what to expect. Luckily there was an informational secession that outlined the activities, dress code, and other background information. Since this was a camp geared towards the law and about leadership, the dress code was business casual for a lot of days. This led me to my first hurdle, having to pack. To add on another aspect, I wouldn't have  access to an iron, meaning I would need to pack clothes that tend to stay wrinkle free. I love wearing bright colors in the summer, but the majority of my business casual clothes are darker in color (this is probably a result of the debate season starting in the fall and ending very early in the spring when snow is sometimes still on the ground). To remedy this, I went shopping! I drove to TJ Maxx and found some great summery tops. Although camp was only five days, I had a lot to pack. Along with packing clothes I had to bring along bedding, towels, and toiletries. When it was all said and done, I had packed a medium sized luggage and a tote bag.

Cool Activities

Throughout the camp there were so many exciting activities. One of the most memorable moments was going white water rafting. 

“If you were to fall into the water it is important to take an active part in your recovery” I remember  the lady from the pre-2010s safety video saying (I’ll let you in on a little secret, I am not a good swimmer). Thankfully, I did not fall out of the boat into the water. However, there were about three times I fell into the boat. Despite initial apprehension about having to navigate rapids, it was a once in a lifetime experience I am glad I was able to have.

At camp I also got the opportunity to go inside the Capitol Building and Supreme Court. These are  locations that as an avid watcher of political themed shows I was ecstatic to see. The camp had a wonderful tour guide that was super knowledgeable. Fun Fact, each state gets two statues in the capital (but they can be gifted more)! Seeing the Supreme Court felt majestic. Seeing a place so influential for our legal system, and society inspired me.

All Things Mock Trial

As I mentioned, the mock trial marked the conclusion of the camp, and thus would showcase all of the hard work put in at camp. There were many things done to prepare each mock trial team for success. One was having guest speakers. The guest speakers gave campers advice for creating openings, closings, and talking to witnesses, all crucial parts for mock trial. Additionally, the speakers shared their experience in the legal field. One of the most helpful pieces of advice was to have a theme throughout the case. A theme allows the jury to latch on to the narrative that either the defense or prosecution tells. However, when deciding a theme it is important to be authentic, or else the jury will have less trust in you. 

This was my first time doing mock trail and there was a learning curve. The time constraint of five days was definitely felt. This is a picture from one of my researching sessions. Highlighters and tabs became my best friends!

Each mock trial team was also assigned a mentor who worked to get them prepared. My mentor was amazing, answering questions and helping the team (there were three people to a team) understand the legal jargon. My mock trial team was representing the defendant, which meant we would have to provide reasonable doubt. 

Every team member had to do a direct and cross examination, along with this there were three special parts: a pretrial motion, opening statement, and closing statement. After discussions with my teammates, I prepared to do pretrial motions. A pretrial motion is when the defense and prosecution go to a judge to move to have evidence excluded. The hardest part of this was knowing which laws to use. It was a little nerve wracking to go in front of a judge, but it ended up going a lot better than expected. Despite a lot of the evidence not being excluded (majority of the times the judge leaves it up to the trial judge), I learned a lot. Also my jitters were a little less on the actual trial.

The trial went amazingly. I made lots of objections (I was definitely influenced by Rafael Barba from Law and Order: Special Victims Unit), asked great questions, and the team worked like a well oiled machine. We ended up getting our client a not guilty verdict on one charge, and a hung jury on another. Which meant that we got our client free!

I am so happy that I was able to attend The Hon. Thomas D. Horne Leadership in the Law Program!