Posted: April 24, 2003 — 9 a.m.
The four-student Harvard Law School trial team has placed second in the National Criminal Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition sponsored by the Criminal Justice Section of the American Bar Association and the John Marshall Law School. Twenty U.S. law schools and one from England competed in the event which was held from April 3-5 in Chicago.
“Many of the nation’s law schools seek to participate in this event, and our success this year is quite amazing,” said Professor Charles J. Ogletree, director of the Criminal Justice Institute. “It speaks well of Harvard, and the hard work of our students and clinical instructors.”
The Harvard Law team—made up of third-year students Vanessa Buch, Leo Wise and Matthew Zizow, and first-year student Cassie Dick—was sponsored by the Criminal Justice Institute, Harvard Law School’s curriculum-based clinical program in criminal defense and juvenile justice. The team was coached by Criminal Justice Institute clinical instructors Stacey Best and Jill Soffiyah Elijah.
The competition involved the trial of a husband for the attempted murder and aggravated battery of his wife with cyanide laced aspirin. Each team participated in three preliminary trials alternating sides after each trial. The four teams with the best win-loss records proceeded to the semi-finals with the winners of those rounds competing in the championship round.
Related Links: