Mock Trial Springs Back into Action with Teen Pop Singer Case
In this shot from 2019, Midwood’s Mock Trial team prepares in a conference room with Ms. Grode and Mr. Resnick at the Center for Appellate Litigation in Manhattan. Photo: Leonard Bonn
By ANI KUKE and CHERY ABDELMASSIH
The verdict is in! Midwood’s Mock Trial Team has made a remarkable return, after having their 2020 season taken away due to Covid-19. The team advanced through the season together while adjusting to the obstacles of virtual competition and pushing through difficulties along the way.
The team started off with a three-win streak. Their first victory came representing the defendant (the individual being sued) against All Hallows High School on February 25. Their second win came while representing the plaintiff (the individual who filed the lawsuit) against The Browning School on March 8. Back on defense, the team brought home their third victory against Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences on March 15. Together, the team’s multiple triumphs boosted their rank to the top 16 in New York City.
The start to the season had come with a rush. Midday on December 10, team members received a buzz on their phones. After months of anticipation, they now had only two months to develop their arguments in the assigned civil case: Macca Elery McLaughlin v. Lee and Robbie McLaughlin.
The case, a realistic but fake scenario designed for educational purposes, centered around Macca McLaughlin, a young girl who filed a suit against her parents. Macca McLaughlin was a pop sensation who had a contract with her parents which required them to set aside over $1.5 million dollars of Macca’s earnings from her singing competitions. Her father invested 91% of her assets into Odyssey Omni, a search engine company.
To their dismay, the company folded, causing all $1.5 million of Macca McLaughlin’s earnings to be lost. Macca McLaughlin then took legal action, suing her parents for breaching their fiduciary duty (their legal obligation to handle her money with care and prudence). In Mock Trial competitions, schools could be assigned to take either side, that of Macca (the plaintiff), or her parents (the defendants).
“It was a delicate case because it dealt with family conflict,” said Anne Mania, co-captain of the team. “Also, the facts of the case were easier to work with for the plaintiff’s side. The plaintiff had an emotional aspect to her case because she was a child who had been essentially robbed by her parents.”
Despite the scales of justice seeming to tip in favor of the plaintiff, the team members from both sides devoted themselves to developing convincing arguments. Every week for four months, the members dedicated some of their leisure time to Zoom practices on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, even during Mid-Winter Break and Spring Break.
“We usually start out [our meetings] with a simple catch-up and get everyone together,” said Daniel Nudelman ‘22. “Afterward, we ask and answer any miscellaneous questions, and then we either follow a preset agenda or we figure out what needs to be worked on more.”
The team then splits off into Zoom breakout rooms with their opposing side’s lawyer and witness. The pairs work together to improve their direct examinations (a set of questions a lawyer asks their client) and cross examinations (a set of questions a lawyer asks a witness from the opposing side) before rejoining the main group call to conclude.
Avielle Krendel-Smyslov ‘24 goes over her lines from her direct examination with her mother to prepare for the competition on April 13. Photo: Angelina Krendel-Smyslov
“I always made my mom practice with me in my free time,” said Avielle Krendel-Smyslov ‘24. “She read the questions, and I got to practice how I answered as a witness.”
This practice dynamic was certainly a change from the team’s pre-Covid preparations at a snazzy law office on Wall Street. “We used to go to downtown Manhattan into our attorney advisor’s office, where we would sit there with the attorneys, brainstorming ideas and drafting direct examinations, closing arguments [final statements made by one lawyer from each side], and opening arguments [beginning statements made by one lawyer from each side],” said Jenna Bolonik, co-captain of the team. “But we are actually very productive now. We get a lot done in breakout rooms.”
However, the lack of spontaneous contact due to remote learning has made teamwork difficult at times.
“Before Covid, I could see another student in the hallway, and I could be like, ‘Hey, do you understand this or that?’ And if they didn't, I'd be like, ‘You know what, call me later,’” said Mania. “It was just easier to reach out to people and have that reassurance that every single member of the team had a good understanding of what we were doing.”
To maintain communication, the team uses a group chat on WhatsApp, where they can voice any unsettled questions or concerns, as well as engage in lighthearted small talk.
“They’re so committed to supporting one another,” said Ms. Barbara Gluck, the team's coach and attorney advisor. “It's not about one person shining; it's about the entire team shining. It's Midwood High School, starring everyone on the team.”
Besides being able to lean on other members, the Mock Trial team also has the help of supportive faculty. With guidance from Mr. Eugene Resnick and Ms. Taylor Grode, both U.S. history teachers and coaches for the team, they were able to improve tremendously. Ms. Gluck also assisted them with the legal points of this case.
“Ms. Gluck brings in a real-life aspect and a whole new perspective to this because she’s been a real lawyer for years,” said Nudelman. “She always has something to add on, whether it's to support us, tell us something isn’t the best idea, or to just provide her own opinion. She’s really awesome.”
With plenty of feedback and hours of planning for this year’s season, the team confidently partook in the virtual world of competition. There they were assessed by various judges while combating unexpected difficulties along the way.
“It is hard to read the judge sometimes, especially with a lack of body language,” said Skye Whalen ‘23. “I also think it is harder to focus because there are so many different things happening in your house. My dog will come up to me, and he'll try to jump up on my lap. That happened while I was being cross-examined. It's definitely distracting.”
There were also technical difficulties, including uncomfortable lags and volume issues. However, the team’s members handled these challenges, amongst others, by jotting down where things went awry and learning to expect the unexpected.
The team closed out this year’s season with a close loss to Hunter College High School in their fourth competition on April 13. Although this loss disqualified them from the remainder of the tournament, the team has worked too hard and learned too much to be discouraged by it.
“Winning is great, but my main goal is to help students develop their public speaking skills and their ability to craft and defend arguments,” said Ms. Grode. “These are skills that will help them succeed in any field they go into, be it law or something else entirely.”
The team is planning for a strong comeback in next year’s season.
“A lot of our members will return next year with this year’s experience under their belts,” said Mr. Resnick. “I think we have a really solid foundation for next year.”