Fifteen-hour days of school work are routine for University law students on the mock trial team. This year, the Paul M. Hebert Law Center’s mock trial team placed first at the LSBA Mock Trial Competition in New Orleans at the Eastern District of Louisiana Courthouse on March 12. The team has ranked first in Louisiana for the past three years.The team consisted of third-year law students Michelle Anderson, Airzola Cleaves, Jonathan Mitchell and Michelle West.Anderson has been involved in mock trial since her first year as a law student.”As a [first year law student] you can only participate as a witness,” Anderson said. “I’ve done it all.”Participating in the mock trial program is a valuable resource for law students, giving them a chance to learn outside the classroom, Anderson said.”A lot of people think that law school is just lots of studying,” Anderson said. “But it’s more than that. You have to learn how to do trials.”Anderson also represents juvenile clients through the LSU Law Clinic. She said her mock trial experience gives her confidence in court.All second- and third-year law students have the opportunity to participate in in-school mock trial competitions as attorneys. First years are allowed to participate only as witnesses, which can also come from outside the law school.”One of our witnesses for our last competition had to learn all these medical terms,” Mitchell said. “She was actually complimented on her expertise and told that she should go into medical school. Everything is always a team effort.”Anderson also serves as the vice president of interschool competitions for the Trial Advocacy Board. Todd Bruno, the faculty advisor for the mock trial program, is leaving at the end of the semester, and the board has been searching for his replacement.Anderson will be graduating in May and said she is sad to leave the team at a critical time.”People from my class who are staying in the area are planning to come back and help when they can,” Anderson said. “Leaving isn’t all that sad, though, because I’ll get to do real trials soon.”- – – -Contact Mandy Francois at [email protected]