The Honorable James P. King Moot Court /Mock Trial

Siena College has joined the American Mock Trial Association and competes in intercollegiate mock trials at the regional and national levels.  Leonard Cutler, Ph.D., Pre-Law Advisor, serves as the team's educator coach, and local attorney Sonya VanBortel '03 serves as the team's attorney coach. She is assisted by Peter VanBortel and Javid Afzali.

Report from Dr. Cutler, Chair of Political Science and Pre-Law Advisor:

I am very pleased to report that on the weekend of February 22nd-24th, The Honorable James P. King Moot Court/Mock Trial Team traveled to Boston, MA to compete in the American Mock Trial Association Regional Tournament hosted by Boston University. This was the first year that our team attended this particular tournament, going up against all new opponents including NYU, Princeton, Holy Cross, and Brown.

Of the 26 teams that competed at the tournament, Siena College tied for 7th and received a bid to the National Competition in Easton, PA, scheduled for March 15th-17th.

The team also brought home four individual awards, more than any other team in the tournament. Congratulations to our co-captains, Christine Armstrong ’13 and Mara Afzali ’14, both of whom won All Region Attorney awards, as well as to our All Region Best Witness winners, Steven Procopio ‘15 and Christine Armstrong ’13. Christine Armstrong was the only competitor in Boston who received both an attorney and a witness award, and this is the second time that she has come home with both recognitions! Well done!

The Honorable James P. King Moot Court/Mock Trial team excelled at the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) Regional Competition at Syracuse University Law School in February 2008 and 2010.  The Siena team won the regionals and qualified for the national tournament both years.

In February 2012, the Honorable James P. King Moot Court/Mock Trial team traveled to New Haven, Connecticut, to compete in the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) Regional Tournament hosted by Yale University. This was the first year that the team attended this particular tournament, going up against all new opponents including schools such as: Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Brown. Siena College finished 3^rd, earning a bid to the National Round in White Plains, NY, at Pace Law School.
 
The Honorable James P. King Moot Court/Mock Trial Program honors the memory of Judge James P. King, Siena's Distinguished Jurist-in-Residence (2004-2010), Moot Court/Mock Trial coach, and role model to our students. Judge King was an educator, a mentor, and a friend who will always be remembered fondly by the Siena community for his commitment and dedication to the Moot Court/Mock Trial Teams.

Left: Siena College's award winning 2010 Moot Court / Mock Trial team at Syracuse University College of Law.
Right: Siena College's award winning 2012 Moot Court/Mock Trial Team at Yale University.