USC Mock Trial Team members are
students interested in Law, Theater,
Politics, Business, the World
and their communities. Our members
are interested in justice -- particularly
learning to secure access to justice
for those who are traditionally
denied it. Accordingly, Team members
volunteer with public advocacy
projects, observe ground breaking
trial proceedings and attend seminars
and events in the legal community.
Keep up with our latest activities
here on our
news page.
Apr 16, 2009 - Team Members Perform LAUSD Document Review For Public Counsel and L.A. Dignity In Schools Campaign
USC Mock Trial Team members have joined the fight to end "zero tolerance" policies that result in children being "pushed out" of school. On April 7th, Public Counsel of Los Angeles Attorney (and USC alumna) Ariel Wander met with the Team and discussed her work as an attorney for children. She also requested the Team's assistance with reviewing documents produced by the Los Angeles Unified School District in response to a California Public Records Act request from Public Counsel. On April 16th, the Team obliged.
Members reviewed policies on everything from elevator maintenance to locker searches, through years dating as far back as 1997. Key observations were that the documents produced were at times only marginally relevant to the requests made. Further, entire categories of requests were not answered. The Team looks forward to assisting the L.A. Dignity In Schools Campaign further.
The Los Angeles Chapter of the Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC-LA) is a coalition of advocates, community stakeholders and other volunteers working together to challenge the systemic problem of “pushout” from Los Angeles schools and promote an approach to school discipline policies that values human rights, every child’s fundamental right to an education, and child-centered, dignified reform in schools to keep children in school, rather than current approaches that punish and exclude children. More here: ( -click
here - ).
March 22, 2009 - USC Mock Trial Team Closes Out Its Nationals Season With Sixth Place ORCS Finish
(L to R: Christianna Kyriacou, James Miao, Catherine Ngo, Elena Otero-Keil (Asst. Coach),
Davia Craumer, Yasmin Fardghassemi, Elvira Kras, Marina Braverman)
by Robson Hauser
March 22, 2009, with a record of 5-3, the USC Mock Trial Team tied for sixth place at the Opening Round Championship Series tournament in Irvine, California. The team earned an honorable mention placement with its finish. Sophomore Aaron Macris was recognized for his performance with an Outstanding Attorney Award, his second such award of the season.
Mar 16, 2009 - USC College Doubles Available Credit and Adds Letter Grade For Mock Trial
POSC 398, the academic course component for the USC Mock Trial Team, has been changed!!!
The USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, along with the Department of Political Science, have decided to award students a maximum of 8 units (variable 1-4, per semester) for taking the class, as opposed to the previous 4 unit maximum. Moreover, beginning in the Fall of 2009, the course will be graded A through F, and list with a new name. POSC 398 was originally known as "Mock Trial." It will now be titled, "Trial Advocacy: Theory and Practice."
This marvelous curricular adjustment was implemented with the blessing and assistance of Deans Howard Gillman, Steve Lamy and Jane Cody, along with Dept. of Political Science Chair, Ann Crigler. USC Mock Trial Team members may now have more flexibility in their schedules while earning appropriate credit for their hard work.
Feb 22, 2009 - USCMTT Finishes Regionals Season With Maximum National Bids
(L to R: Davia Craumer, Christianna Kyriacou, Catherine Ngo, Yasmin Fardghassemi, James Miao, Lisa Cui)
Four days and eight rounds of regional competition spread across two cities produced the maximum number of national tournament bids that can be earned by any school for the USC Mock Trial Team. Four squads laden with primarily freshmen and sophomores competed in Fresno, CA and Rancho Cucamonga, CA and returned with coveted bids to the Amertican Mock Trial Association's national tournament opening rounds.
Best squad records were 7-1 and 6-2. Chistine Sihn and Casey Wong earned "All-Region Witness" awards. Catherine Veeneman pulled-off another double and was the sole competitor at Rancho Cucamonga to earn both "All-Region Witness" and "All-Region Attorney" awards.
Feb 4, 2009 - USC Mock Trial Team Performs Client Intake For $13 Million Civil Rights Class Action
On February 4, 2009, the Los Angeles City Council approved a $13 million settlement for victims of police brutality suffered during the so-called "May Day Melee of 2007." During the Summer of 2007, USC Mock Trial Team members performed client intake for the civil rights class action case brought on the victims' behalf.
The case was filed in response to the LAPD's actions against peaceful protesters in MacArthur Park in May of 2007. Persons in the park ranging in age from toddlers through the elderly were shot with police projectile weapons and beaten with batons. Members of the Team interviewed protest participants and helped distinguish between witnesses and plaintiffs.
Team Head Coach Olu Orange, co-counsel on the case, trained the students on 42 U.S.C. §1983 and the Unruh Civil Rights Act. The students' work is a significant contribution in pursuit of justice for hundreds of Los Angeles residents. More about the case here: Los Angeles Times Article ( -click
here - )
Jan 19, 2009 - Casey Wong and Aaron Macris Bring "Outstanding" End To Invitationals Season
Following its Arizona opening tothe season, the USC Mock Trial Team competed at tournaments held by UCI and UCLA. The latter of which, Team members skipped a major portion of their Winter Break to prepare for. At both tournaments, USC Team members faced competitive fields including Berkeley, Yale, Columbia and NYU.
Team members Aaron Macris and Casey Wong capped-off the final invitational tournament by earning individual awards at UCLA. Macris' skills as an attorney garnered an "Outstanding Attorney" award. Wong was the ONLY competitor recognized as both an "Outstanding Attorney" and an "Outstanding Witness."
Nov 21, 2008 - Mock Trial Team Members Work On Behalf of Their First Real Clients Through GRAP
(Entire Team pictured at Public Counsel of Los Angeles)
by Christianna Kyriacou
On November 21, 2008, the USC Mock Trial Team participated in Public Counsel’s General Relief Advocacy Project (GRAP), also referred to as a Homelessness Prevention Law Project. The team members were trained to assist individuals in the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) offices. The goal of the outreach program is to help those persons and their families receive the benefits to which they are entitled.
When team members began to serve as advocates for clients in the DPSS offices, the process of getting relief from the social services workers was greatly expedited. Catherine Casazza believed, “It was really eye opening to see how truly flawed the system is—everyone we spoke to gave conflicting information and I really can't imagine anyone being able to successfully navigate the system without an advocate's help, which is unfortunately what most people have to do.” With the assistance of advocates, the clients obtained their benefits more quickly. USC Mock Trial Team advocates helped make the overall process more efficient.
At three Los Angeles DPSS offices, the members worked in pairs to help clients with issues involving general relief, food stamps, eviction notices, and other benefits. Catherine Veeneman explained, “GRAP is a chance to take skills learned in mock trial and use them in the real world to help those in need.” The program was a hands-on experience through which the Mock Trial Team was able to apply their knowledge of the law, advocacy skills, and the training they received at Public Counsel to assist real people in need.
Through this outreach program, USC Mock Trial Team members saw the direct impact of their service to the local community. As Davia Craumer said, “In contrast to a lot of other charity and volunteer work, we could see the difference we were making in peoples' lives, by helping them get food and bus tokens for another few weeks. That direct impact was really striking, very touching. They were so grateful for so little. It was a reminder how lucky we are and how much we can do to help those around us.”
GRAP is a program designed to provide assistance to those in need. However, the clients for whom Team members advocated taught them the importance of community service and being grateful for what they have. The clients taught their advocates the importance of courage and determination during challenges and economic hardship.
“My most memorable client exemplified strength and determination in the face of difficult times. Her genuine struggle touched my heart and opened my mind,” remembered Christianna Kyriacou. “Having the opportunity to defend her and others without being paid, but because they really need and deserved my help, was beyond gratifying. My experience as a GRAP advocate is one I will never forget.”
GRAP was a rewarding experience for all Team participating Team members, as Casey Wong recalled, “My experience at GRAP was significant in that it exposed me to the nature of the way poverty is managed by government agencies. I did not expect a bureaucracy as inefficient and lazy as the one that I found at the office we went to. Being able to confront this injustice, and help certain people overcome it was really rewarding.”
Supervisiong Attorney, Christine Khalili-Borna, remarked of the Team members, "Not only were they engaged and active participants in the training, but they were also fantastic advocates. Attorney Khalili- Borna was "really struck by how mature, capable and thorough they were with our clients."
Public Counsel’s GRAP program enabled USC Mock Trial Team members to give back to their community. They put their trial advocacy skills to good use by participating in GRAP and gained valuable experiences serving some of their first clients.
Nov 9, 2008 - USC Mock Trial Team Opens Season With Outstanding Finish & Perfect Scores in Arizona
(First photo - L to R: Casey Wong, Christianna Kyriacou, Catherine Ngo, James Miao, Elvira Kras, Lydia Kwon, Christina Paquette, Ariel Love, Aaron Macris. Second photo: Lauren Herz, Catherine Veeneman, Jeffrey Skinner)
by Davia Craumer & Robson Hauser
On November 9, 2008, the USC Mock Trial Team opened its season by placing three teams in the top ten at the Great Sonoran Showdown in Arizona, hosted by the University of Arizona. In addition to the Team's outstanding placement, multiple individuals were recognized for their performances.
Both experience and new talent were honored with individual awards. Lauren Herz, a first year team member, was honored with a witness award. Jeffrey Skinner, a senior, came away with an attorney award. And Catherine Veeneman, in her second year, brought home gold in all forms, winning both an attorney and a witness award, both with perfect 20-rank scores.
