Ƶ

Students

Pace BLSA Mock Trial team places first in 2022 Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition

Posted
March 4, 2022
Image
Pace BLSA Mock Trial team places first in 2022 Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition - This year’s team included students Laura Felix, Nechelle Nicholas, Juan Rodriguez, and Naja Williams. Professor Betty Lewis coached the team.

The Pace BLSA Mock Trial team attended the 54th Northeastern Black Law Students Association Convention and placed first in the 2022 Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition. In four back-to-back rounds, the Mock Trial team edged out multiple law schools in the Northeast region. This year’s team included students Laura Felix, Nechelle Nicholas, Juan Rodriguez, and Naja Williams. Professor Betty Lewis coached the team. For months, a shadow team prepped alongside the competition team, consisting of students Katherine Boyd, Idalis Davis, Derek Segars, Aaliyah Smith.

Competitor Nechelle Nichols stated, “We have been preparing vigorously for the past four months and honed our trial skills. Every single team member stepped up to the plate, and that is what ultimately allowed us to think quickly on our feet, sharpen our acting skills, make multiple changes to our strategy, and deliver passionate arguments. Placing first in the Northeastern region in a competition named after a trailblazer who we each aspire to be like, and moreover, being a part of a convention which brought Black law students together was a true honor.”

More from Pace

In the Media

Professor Bennett Gershman spoke to FOX 5 NY about the potential impact of a new administration on Mayor Adams’ pending legal case.

Students

When 3L Janay Russo was exploring colleges, she found herself captivated by a pressing question: Why does such severe inequality persist within the legal system? Her unrelenting curiosity about the foundations of law and the societal and economic biases shaping the criminal justice system, inspired her to pursue an undergraduate degree in Justice Studies and Criminology at James Madison University.