Registration for the 2009 High School Seminars is now open! This year's seminars will be held on the weekends of October 17-18 and November 14-15. We'd also like to congratulate the 2009 High School Mock Trial National Champions, John Adams High School, Harvard Seminar Class of 2008!All teams should register  by filling out and either mailing or emailing the following form instead of submitting it online. Online submission is currently not working. Click here
OR mail them to:

Attn: 2009 High School Seminars
Student Organization Center at Hilles, Box 69
59 Shepard St.
Cambridge, MA 02238

Important Hotel Information!

October attendees:
Doubletree Hotel Boston - Downtown (short subway ride to Harvard)
821 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111
617-956-5126
Please book at this website: http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/BOSCODT-HMT-20091016/index.jhtml

November attendees:
Doubletree Guest Suites Boston (short shuttle ride to Harvard)
400 Soldiers Field Road
Boston, Massachusetts 02134
617-562-4147

Please book at this website: http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/BOSSBDT-HVM-20091113/index.jhtml
 
OR
 
Harvard Square Hotel (NO DEADLINE, BUT SPACE IS LIMITED; short walk to Harvard)
110 Mt. Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-491-2222
Please mention the Harvard Mock Trial group code: 261557

Dear Students and Coaches, Welcome! We're glad to see you found your way to our site. If you're here, you've probably already heard about the basics of the Harvard Mock Trial High School Training Seminar. The Seminar is designed to help high school mock trialers at all levels of experience. Held on the weekends of October 17-18 and November 14-15, the Seminar is a two-day program of extensive presentations, case building exercises, and scrimmages, all of which are led by actual members of the Harvard Mock Trial Association. By working directly with students, teaching them the very techniques that have allowed our witnesses and attorneys to succeed in national competition, the members of Harvard Mock Trial are confident that they can teach absolutely anyone how to be a better and more confident mock trialer.Whatever you may have already learned about the Seminar, this page is designed to help you learn even more. Below, you'll find information about the structure of the Seminar, lots of testimonials from last year's participants, and brief biographies of the Harvard Mock Trialers who are leading this year's Seminar Program. Be sure to visit often, as we'll be updating this portion of the site as we get closer to the weekends of October 17-18 and November 14-15, 2009!
If you would like to reserve a space at the Seminar, or if you have any questions about the Seminar that you don't see answered here, please feel free to email us. We'd love to hear from you. You can reach us by sending an email to harvardmocktrial@gmail.com, or by using the form on the "Contact Us" page of this website. Either way, we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Thanks for visiting our site, let us know if you have any questions, and we hope to see you at Harvard this year!       

Sincererely,

Tyler Hall and Sophy Lee

2009 High School Seminars Co-Directors

The Weekend

What exactly is this Seminar about...?

We've told you that our Seminar Program will teach you the skills to become a better mock trialer in just one weekend. Here's how we'll do it.

In one weekend at the Training Seminar, you will:

• Attend six workshops led by All-American award-winning members of Harvard Mock Trial, including:
  • Direct Examination Workshop: Learn how to analyze affidavits for direct points, how to phrase and organize questions, and how to create a direct examination that judges will notice.
  • Cross Examination Workshop: Study how to analyze affidavits for cross points, how to structure a cross, how to respond to direct points, and how to control any type of witness.
  • Witness Workshop: Find out how to develop character in witnesses, ranging from experts to wacky figures, how to interact with the directing attorney, and how to handle cross-examination.
  • Statement Workshop: Discover the elements of opening and closing statements, how to develop themes and case strategies, and how to harness oratorical skills to create strong, memorable rhetoric.
  • Objections Workshop: Examine the meaning of common objections, how to apply them, and how to make effective objection arguments that keep your evidence in and their evidence out.
  • Courtroom Demeanor Workshop: Review the proper attorney and witness decorum that is crucial to success in any trial.
• Participate in case-building breakout sessions, working one-on-one to develop case theories with members of the Harvard Mock Trial Association.
• Enroll in one of our advanced tutorials, specifically designed for nationals-calibre competitors:
  

• Advanced Evidentiary Procedure I
• Advanced Evidentiary Procedure II
  
• Crossing the Expert Witness
  
• The Art of Impeachment: Use and abuse
• Use of Documentary Evidence
• Playing the Character Witness: Engaging with credibility
• Crossing the Character Witness
• Cross Examination: Case studies and practicum
• Defeating Opposing Counsel (a witness's tutorial)
• Winning on Direct
• Opening Statements: Case studies and practicum
• Summation: Case studies and practicum