Spring break began with 14-hour practice sessions for members of
UCLA’s mock trial program, and the hard work paid off: One of
two teams the program sent to the National Championship Tournament
in Iowa this past weekend came home with the national title.
A Columbia University team placed second, and teams from the
University of California, Berkeley and the University of Tennessee
tied for third. The second UCLA team did not place among the top 10
competitors.
Each mock trial team consists of about eight students who try a
fictional case in front of a panel of judges. One national case is
distributed for use for all teams each year by the American Mock
Trial Association. The mock trial program is being sponsored by
UCLA’s Anderson School of Business and the Pre-law
Society.
Sunday’s championship round of was held at Iowa’s
Supreme Court branch, and was judged by the state’s
justices.
UCLA Mock Trial Student Director David Lichtenstein said
reaching the championship was a target the program has had its eye
on for a while.
The qualities judges look for in competitors differ depending on
the region where a tournament takes place, Lichtenstein said. Team
members who have been to tournaments in or around Iowa have honed
their skills over the years, learning from each visit.
“You have to know what the judges want over there ““
you go, you pick up something new that they like,” he
said.
“When we’re in Los Angeles, we’re pretty
flashy with our presentation, we’re pretty dramatic. … (In
Iowa) they like it a little more level ““Â a little more
substance and a little less flash,” he added.
Meeta Chakrazarti, a fifth-year political science student and
co-captain of the first-place team, said an important step team
members took this year toward reaching their goal of winning the
nationals was going to tournaments early in the year.
Many team members emptied their own pockets, spending between
$500 and $1,000 to participate in tournaments across the
country.
Sunday’s victory was particularly poignant for several
core members of the program, who dedicated much of their time at
UCLA to the program and may not be returning.
Chakrazarti has been in the program since she was a freshman and
said though the victories are satisfying, the real value of the
program lies in the camaraderie between team members and the
relationships they form as they work and play together.
“More important than any of the victories, what I’ll
cherish the most is the friendships I’ve made,” she
said. “We’re all a really, really close program. …
That takes precedent to any trophy any day.”
At least three members of the team that took the title this year
are planning to return to the program next fall, and both
Lichtenstein and Chakrazarti expect the program will continue to be
strong and evolve.
“We had a lot of younger people go to nationals this year,
and it’s that younger group of kids that needs to rise up and
assume those leadership positions,” Chakrazarti said.
Jimmy Gorham, a second-year political science student, said many
second and third-year students on mock trial have already picked up
a lot of experience from competing in prestigious tournaments.
“The people that we have in the program are definitely
good enough to win it again next year,” he said.
Students involved with mock trial are planning to meet later
this spring to discuss the future of the program.
“Everyone’s wondering what’s going to be going
on for next year,” Chakrazarti said, as she and teammates
waited for their flight Monday afternoon during a layover at
Chicago’s airport on their way home from the
championship.