Westfield High School students in Kimberly Leegan’s Mock Trial classes ended the semester with a courtroom atmosphere complete with judge, jury, bailiff, witnesses, plaintiff, and defense counsel.
Mock Trial, a new elective offered this year at Westfield High School, involves learning about the stages of a civil trial and performing each of those stages in class. “This project-based class enables students to gain valuable real life experience and to put what they have learned in the classroom in action,” stated Leegan. “In addition to learning the stages of a civil trial, students also develop public speaking skills, problem solving, and analytical reasoning as they work to either prove or defend their case,” she explained.
Ms. Leegan, whose career as an attorney preceded her role as a social studies teacher, divided both her Mock Trial classes into trial teams who “held court” in the Board of Education meeting room on May 24th. Each trial team had to collaborate and work together in order to be ready for trial. In the second trial of the day, Samantha Colucci, standing at left, prepared as the attorney for the plaintiff, while Douglas Logan, seated, was cross-examined as a witness for the defense in a simulated personal injury case.
Roosevelt Intermediate School’s Mock Trial and Debate class served as the jury in the second trial. “I think both of our Mock Trial classes did an excellent job today and truly mastered the most important part of success as a litigator. I am very proud of the work the students have put into the class,” remarked Leegan. The Mock Trial event was presided over by Ms. Leegan’s husband, Michael Leegan, Esq., a 1988 graduate of Westfield High School, who has practiced law in NJ as a civil defense litigator for 20 years.
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