Five mock trial teams at BASIS Chandler High School, for which partner Scott B. Cohen of Engelman Berger serves as volunteer lawyer coach, have completed another successful competitive year, with two of the school’s teams going 3-1 at Regionals.
The Arizona High School Mock Trial Program, co-sponsored by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education and the State Bar of Arizona’s Young Lawyers Division, teaches students in grades 9-12 about the legal system through taking on a fictional legal case as attorneys and witnesses. There is also a courtroom artist contest, where students submit live illustrations taken during the simulated trial.
David W. Johnson, Exceptional Student Services Coordinator at BASIS Chandler, praised the students’ dedication. “All of the students worked incredibly hard and did a great job—not only at the competition but throughout the school year as they prepared and learned the mock trial process,” he said.
Cohen emphasized that, when professionals make time for a worthwhile cause, especially one involving the betterment of our youth, they may very well find themselves on the receiving end of benefits.
“While lawyers have an ethical duty to supervise non-lawyers and associates, true mentorship extends beyond mere oversight,” said Cohen. “It is in that deeper engagement where the real reward lies.”
Engelman Berger is comprised of experienced lawyers who are well recognized for their expertise and commitment to resolve commercial disputes and assist clients in preventing legal problems through proper planning. The firm’s clients include national and local lenders, borrowers, lessors, tenants, family-owned businesses, developers, franchise owners, municipalities, and investors. Industries served include banking and lending, credit unions, real estate, construction, restaurant, hospitality, medical, retail, wholesale, and agricultural, among others. The firm provides creative and focused representation in all federal and state courts, bankruptcy court, arbitrations, mediations and settlement negotiations.
