Mock Trial teams advance to championship round

For the second straight season, both Cornell College mock trial squads have earned bids to the Opening Round Championship Series  of the American Mock Trial Association. Additionally, four team members received outstanding witness awards— junior Neil McCray, sophomore Claire McGuire, senior Lisa Chen, and first-year Leonard Schlanger; and two team members received outstanding attorney awards— junior James Hoeffgen and first-year Tommy Cooke.

Cooke also received the highest scores at the tournament for his respective award categories, and Schlanger received the second highest score in his award category.

Cornell College hosted the regional tournament at the Hotel at Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids Feb. 4 and 5. Eleven alumni, two faculty members, our LSAT prep instructor, and Cornell President Jonathan Brand all volunteered as judges during the four-round tournament. Mock Trial coach Abbe Stensland served as the regional tournament director.

Sheryl Atkinson Stoll ’70 offered remarks during the opening ceremony, and Brand made remarks during the closing ceremony.

The Cedar Rapids regional tournament had 25 teams competing and awarded eight bids to the opening round tournament in St. Louis on March 17-18.

This is the fourth consecutive year of Cornell mock trial qualifying to the Opening Round Championships in the program’s six-year history. In 2010 a Cornell mock trial squad placed sixth in the nation.