Rainbow Schools Awarded Gold and Silver at 2015 Mock Trial Competition

Rainbow secondary school students showcased their analytical and critical thinking skills at the 15th annual Mock Trial Competition where they garnered both gold and silver medals and captured a number of individual awards. The Mock Trial Competition was held on January 9th, 2015 at the Sudbury Court House.

A total of 88 students in Grade 12 from Rainbow District School Board and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board donned legal gowns to prosecute and defend an assault that took place during a hockey game.

The Hennessy Cup was awarded to a team from Confederation Secondary School, including Charity Walt, Tamika Carlson, Jensen Gorman, Carter Smith, Charlene Lapointe and Cheyenne Ziegler. The team was guided by the legal expertise of Kevin Ludgate of the Crown Attorney’s Office and teacher Brad Smith.

Silver medals were presented to students from Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, including Will Crichton, Jamie Suslyk, Sam Sedore, Max Sheppard, D’Arcy Gilbert, Chris Verrilli and Laura Cope. The team was guided by the legal expertise of Mike Gauthier and James Ross, Personal Injury Lawyers with Orendorff & Associates and teacher Terry Pagan.

Other awards that were presented included:

Miller Maki Best Witness Award
Kristin Ferguson, Lasalle Secondary School
Coaches:  Kayla Seyler, Student-at-law (Weaver, Simmons LLP), Renee Gregor, Criminal Defence Attorney (Weaver, Simmons LLP) and Dhiren Chohan, Articling Student (Weaver, Simmons LLP)
Award Presenter: Michael O’Hara, Civil Litigation and Defence Attorney (Miller Maki LLP)

Lacroix, Forest Best Advocate Crown Award
Tie between Aidan Legault and Chris Verrili of Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School
Coaches: Mike Gauthier and James Ross (Orendorff & Associates)
Award Presenter: Jeff King (Lacroix, Forest LLP)

Weaver Simmons Best Advocate Defence Award
Tie between Charity Walt, Confederation Secondary School and Josephine Suorineni, Marymount Academy
Coaches: Kevin Ludgate (Crown Attorney’s Office), Lindsey Santerre, Criminal Defence Attorney (Robert Beckett), Michael McNamara, Civil Litigation Attorney (Conroy Trebb Scott Hurtubise LLP)
Award Presenter: Renee Gregor, Criminal Defence Lawyer (Weaver, Simmons LLP)

Edward J. Conroy Q.C. Team Civility Award
Lockerby Composite School Team 2
Award Presenter: Michael McNamara (Conroy Trebb Scott Hurtubise, LLP)

Rainbow District School Board Chair, Doreen Dewar, thanked the volunteer coaches from the Sudbury and District Law Association and the Sudbury Crown Attorney’s Office who, year after year, provide hundreds of hours of time to this project. “Through the Mock Trial Competition, local lawyers make an invaluable contribution to student learning by bringing the classroom into the courtroom,” she said. “Many students have been inspired to pursue studies in the justice sector after secondary school.” She added: “We commend the legal community for being exceptional role models for community service and student success.”

The Mock Trial Competition is well established within the Grade 12 Law curriculum. In addition to meeting curriculum expectations, mock trials develop other skills in students, including public speaking, teamwork, presentation, preparation and critical thinking skills.

“Open courts and open justice are necessary for citizens to have confidence in the administration of justice.  Most people will not go to courts to watch trials. They are more likely to read about them in newspapers or other media,” said Madam Justice Patricia C. Hennessy, Mock Trial Project Leader since its inception 14 years ago. “As these students prepare to prosecute or defend a serious charge, they can appreciate the importance of the fundamental principles of proof beyond reasonable doubt and the presumption of innocence as the foundation of the society governed by the rule of law.”

She added: “This experience increases the students’ understanding of the legal process and allows them to follow media reports of local or national legal matters with a critical eye. It is our hope that these students will be engaged citizens, whose experience of the trial process will give them an understanding of important justice issues in the life of the community.  We also know that this experience creates confident advocates, whether as students, citizens or professionals.”

Students from Confederation Secondary School will go on to the Northeastern Mock Trial Competition to be held in early March.

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Media Contact:

Tiffany Roberts, Curriculum Co-ordinator,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-523-3308, ext. 8209.

Confederation Secondary School captured top honours at the 2015 Mock Trial Competition on January 9th, winning the coveted Hennessy Cup. Back row, from left, are Carter Smith, Charity Walt, Charlene Lapointe, Jensen Gorman, Cheyenne Ziegler, Madam Justice Patricia C. Hennessy and Tamika Carlson. Kevin Ludgate of the Crown Attorney’s Office and teacher Brad Smith coached the team to victory.

Students from Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School were the proud recipients of the silver medal at the Mock Trial Competition on January 9, 2015. The team included, from left, Laura Cope, Max Sheppard, Jamie Suslyk, Sam Sedore, Chris Verrilli, Will Crichton and D’Arcy Gilbert. The team was guided by the legal expertise of Mike Gauthier and James Ross of Orendorff & Associates and teacher Terry Pagan.