Feb 18, 2007 - USC Mock Trial Team Sweeps Regional Competition: Team to advance to national competition in Florida in April

By Peter M. Warren

Students from USC’s Mock Trial Team recently won first, second, third and fifth places and were named tournament champions at the American Mock Trial Association’s Great Western Regional Tournament held Feb. 17–18 in Los Angeles at USC. The USC team in recent years has been among the top performers in the Western Region and finished the 2006 season with an overall national ranking of fourth out of 564 teams.

The sweep of the top places at the regional tournament earned USC two bids to the national finals and enables members to skip past two national qualifying events and advance directly to the AMTA National Championship Tournament, which takes place in St. Petersburg, Florida, April 13–15. Olu Orange serves as the team’s head coach. Orange, an adjunct professor of political science at USC College, is a practicing criminal and civil rights attorney in West Los Angeles. USC Mock Trial Team members who participated in the competition — including class, major and individual honors from the regional tournament — are (in alphabetical order):

* Ashley Anderson, junior, business administration;
* Chris Bloom, junior, neuroscience;
* Tom Burke, junior, neuroscience;
* Marina Braverman, sophomore, communication, "All-Regional Witness";
* Alex Clendennen, freshman, business administration;
* Andrea Contreras, junior, neuroscience;
* Mercedes Cook, sophomore, psychology;
* Gina Davidson, junior, psychology;
* Sharisse Deal, junior, communication;
* E.J. Dieckman, senior, broadcast journalism;
* Meredith Elkins, freshman, public relations;
* Tashiya Gunesekera, sophomore, English;
* Jeffrey Gurrola, sophomore, political science, "All-Regional Attorney";
* Sarah Holl, senior, political science, "All-Regional Attorney";
* Vassi Iliadis, freshman, comparative literature;
* Akhi Johnson, junior, "All-Regional Attorney" and "All-Regional Witness";
* David Kass, junior, communication;
* Kilie Latendresse, senior, philosophy;
* Michael Maloney, junior, cinematic arts, "All-Regional Witness";
* Lilyanne Ohanesian, senior, political science;
* Christina Paquette, sophomore, English;
* Faye Paul, senior, philosophy;
* Jaymes Sanford, senior, international relations;
* Mane Sardaryan, sophomore, philosophy;
* Jeffrey Skinner, sophomore, international relations, "All-Regional Witness";
* MiRi Song, sophomore, philosophy;
* Katherine Tong, senior, political science.

-- re-printed from USC College News [ access original story here ]

Jul 26, 2006 - Team Participates In Fourth Year of Homelessness Prevention Advocacy (G.R.A.P.) With Public Counsel

Members of the USC Mock Trial Team believe that all people should have food and shelter. However, rather than simply sit around and theorize about the issue, Team members use their advocacy skills to attend public benefit hearings with persons who are facing termination or wrongful denial of emergency relief benefits. 2006 is the Team's fourth year of this type of action on behalf of others.

The name of the program is G.R.A.P. It is run by Public Counsel of Los Angeles. Public Counsel is America's largest public interest law firm. Last year alone, Public Counsel provided tens of millions of dollars worth of legal services to people in need - FREE!!!

"G.R.A.P." stands for General Relief Advocacy Project. It is a program through which Public Counsel trains attorneys and law students to advocate on behalf of clients who are trying to secure, or maintain, general relief benefits, food stamp benefits, medical assistance and emergency shelter and food vouchers. Often, these benefits are the last thing standing between entire families and homelessness and hunger.

Through a special arrangement facilitated by USCMTT Head Coach, Olu Orange; Public Counsel's Pro Bono Coordinator, Ted Zepeda; and Homelessness Prevention Project Staff Attorney, Louie Rafti - USC Mock Trial Team students are able to put their advocacy skills to work to assist others. Team members performed valuable work in July. They'll be back at it again in August!!!

May 12, 2006 - 100% of 2006 USCMTT Graduating Seniors Applying To Law School Offered Scholarships

That's RIGHT -- 100% of the USC Mock Trial Team's graduating seniors who applied to law school this year were offered scholarships!!! Coaches Orange, Kazemi & Kelly are ecstatic!!! So are the students, of course. Indeed, many of them were offered scholarships by multiple institutions. This year, USC Mock Trial Team alumni will enter the Juris Doctor Programs at Howard, Harvard, NYU, Boalt Hall, Temple, Cornell, Loyola, San Diego, Stetson & Southwestern. Bravo!!!

May 2, 2006 - Lindsey Greer Awarded 2006 Samuel S. Leibowitz Award For Excellence In Trial Advocacy

Four year USC Mock Trial Team member; Two-Time AMTA All-American Attorney; Homelessness Prevention Advocate; and Rights Hearing Consultant for the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) Local 112 -- LINDSEY GREER, became only the third person to earn the Samuel S. Leibowitz Award For Excellence In Trial Advocacy!!!

The award was presented to Lindsey by Judge Leibowitz' daughter Marjorie Leibowitz-Finch. Lindsey edged out fellow nominees Prashanth Chennekesavan, Francis DiGiacco, Jennifer Gantwerker, Justin Gaynor & Patricia Rodriguez -- all of whom were outstanding candidates.

Samuel S. Leibowitz was the attorney who charged forward with the daring defense of the Scottsboro Nine in Alabama of the 1930's. The nine young black men were falsley accused of raping two white women and sentenced to death prior to Leibowitz' successful intervention. During the course of the case, Leibowitz argued and won Norris v. Alabama before the U.S. Supreme Court, challenging the practice of excluding African-Americans from juries. Leibowitz took the Scottsboro case for free.

Every year, the Team's most outstanding advocate and humanitarian is selected by Mrs. Leibowitz-Finch, Head Coach Olu K. Orange and the Dean of the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences. An award for outstanding service and advocacy could not be given in the name of a more dynamic attorney (and later Judge). Congrats to Lindsey!!!

Apr 9, 2006 - USC Hits AMTA Championship Top-Ten Again: Overall Ranking Rises To Fourth: Season's Third "Perfect" Attorney - Prashanth Chennakesavan

During the USC Mock Trial Team's fifth year in existence, and third year as a formal program, the Team has achieved top-five overall national ranking. As opposed to last year's National Championship Tournament, wherein the Team earned Fourth Place and for the first time placed in the top-five, this year the Team tied for Fourth Place (pre-tiebreak, sixth post) and established consistency.

Accordingly, pursuant to the American Mock Trial Association's Bonus Bid Ranking System, which allocates bids to the National Championship Tournament based upon team strength over the past three years, the Team is ranked Fourth among 562 teams nationwide. To put the Team's current Fourth Place overall power bid ranking in perspective, two-time national champion, UCLA, is ranked third and two-time national champion, University of Iowa, is ranked fifth. The Team's overall national ranking is on par with Iowa and UCLA because it has exhibited consistent excellence over the past three years. Indeed, the team placed well ahead of Iowa and UCLA last year and this year, respectively. Take note of the following:

· The USC Mock Trial Team is one of only THREE schools in the nation to have won 6+ ballots (out of 8) in each of the last two National Championship Tournaments. (USC, University of Virginia [2006 National Champion], Harvard University [2006 National Runner-Up])

· The USC Mock Trial Team is one of only FOUR schools in the nation to have won a combined 12+ ballots (out of 16) in the last two National Championship Tournaments. (USC, University of Virginia [2006 National Champion], Harvard University [2006 National Runner-Up], UCLA [2004/2005 National Champions])

· In 2006, the Western Regional Tournament had seven teams compete in postseason national tournaments (USC (2), UCLA (2), University of Redlands, Cal Poly Pomona, UC-Santa Barbara). The Western Regional was the ONLY regional tournament in AMTA where each of its postseason participants finished with at least 4 wins (out of 8 possible) in a National Tournament or National Championship Tournament. Of these seven teams that competed in a national competition, including two-time defending champions UCLA , USC was the BEST placing national team (with the most wins).

Furthermore, the 2006 AMTA National Championship Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa saw only three "perfect" rankings for All-American Attorney awards this year. USC Mock Trial Team member Prashanth Chennekesavan was one of them. Fellow member Francis DiGiacco earned an All-American Witness award.

At the earlier National Tournament in St. Paul, Minnesota, members Althea Lyman and Sarah Holl also earned individual awards. Althea received an Outstanding Attorney award, and Sarah received an Outstanding Witness award. Congrats to teammates Prashanth, Francis, Althea and Sarah on a job well-done, and magnificent awards to go with it!!!

Jan 16, 2006 - Two USC Mock Trial Team Members Earn "Perfect" Attorney Awards

The USC Mock Trial Team finished a productive invitational tournament season with two of its members earing perfect ranking for their tournament performances. Members Ashley Anderson and Justin Gaynor were ranked by tournament judges in two states as being the best among their peers. Ms. Anderson was evaluated at the UCLA Invitaitonal Tournament by members of the local bar and bench in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Gaynor's accolades came from practitioners local to the University of Iowa.

In order to receive perfect ranking, a competitior must exhibit knowledge of the Federal Rules of Evidence, trial procedure and substantive law superior to all of his/her contemporaries -- during every round of competition. As hundreds of students attended each tournament, from top institutions nationwide, particular congratulations are due to Ms. Anderson and Mr. Gaynor!

Jan 14, 2006 - Head Coach Olu K. Orange Serves as Visiting Faculty at Harvard Law School's 2006 Winter Trial Advocacy Workshop (TAW)

Upon the invitation of TAW Director, Professor Peter Murray, USCMTT Head Coach Olu K. Orange served as visiting faculty at Harvard Law School's 2006 Winter Trial Advocacy Workshop. Orange's invitation was recommended by his mentor, law school trial advocacy professor and team coach, legendary trial attorney Sharon Styles-Anderson. Styles-Anderson taught Orange at the Howard University School of Law and is now a member of the faculty at Harvard Law School.

Harvard Law School's TAW is a prestigious, highly specialized intensive program for which students earn full course credit during the time between their fall and spring semesters. Coursework occupies each day in its entirety and consists of small and large group sessions, videotaping and review sessions, individualized advisement, a joint student and faculty dinner, and a trial skills/ethics demonstration by distinguished practitioners. Weekly exercises culminate for each student in the performance of a trial of one of several cases used during the many weeks of the workshop.

Orange spent his time at Harvard Law School instructing and critiquing students in the area of direct and cross examination of witnesses, with special emphasis on various impeachment and control techniques. He also served as a Trial Advisor and a Trial Judge. His two marvelous trial advisees, Wes Mullen and Damaris Diaz, secured a "not guilty" for their client during their first TAW trial.