Students Preparing for Future Legal Careers Make the Most of Coaching by Seasoned Attorneys

FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, a student group of aspiring attorneys from Chicago’s Legal Prep Charter Academy took first place in an annual mock trial competition held at the specialized high school. 

The winning team of dedicated students was coached by attorneys from LexisNexis and Crowell & Moring. The students worked tirelessly this year to master the fact pattern, create their trial strategy, and nail their arguments to secure the win.

Legal Prep is a legal-themed high school in Chicago that offers a typical high school curriculum along with a unique law program designed to prepare diverse students for legal careers. The legal courses are reinforced with real-world practice programs like mock trials, negotiations, and debate. Legal Prep is a highly diverse high school, with most students residing in an underserved area of Chicago’s west side. Participation from the legal community in events like the mock trial competition enriches the students’ learning and fosters diversity in the student-to-lawyer pipeline.

The LexisNexis coaching team of Practical Guidance attorneys was led by Jafon Fearson and and included Randi-Lynn Smallheer, Michael Bahler, Karen Yotis, and John Martin. Volunteers will soon begin preparing to coach a group of students in the next mock trial competition. For additional details see the LinkedIN Post from Legal Prep Charter Academy.