Twelve (12) students from Bethlehem High School advanced to the finals of the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Competition in Albany. As a volunteer coach and mentor, Rich Maguire, Esq. guided the students during several months of practice where the students learned not just trial tactics in the courtroom, but also more important lessons of professionalism, civility and ethics.
The students were divided into two (2) teams of six (6), one team for the prosecution and one for the defense. The students were assigned roles as attorneys and witnesses and tried a case which contained voluminous pages of affidavits, exhibits and rules of evidence.
Valuable lessons were learned which will be applicable not just to those who intend to enter the profession as a future lawyer, but to properly prepare and speak in public and be persuasive and communicate clearly.
For the second year in a row, Bethlehem advanced to the finals and competed at the Albany County Family Court in the final trial before Colonie Town Justice Andrew Sommers.
The 2014 team consisted of Dan Abrams, James Barriere, Noah Falk, Jack Maguire, Quinn Maguire, Jamie McCormick, Mony Relles, Simone Roberts-Payne, Ryan Toffel, Alexis Young and Dana Yuan.