Harvard Mock Trial Sends Two Teams to Nationals!

Welcome to the Website of the Harvard Mock Trial Association, a student-run organization at Harvard College in Cambridge, MA. Harvard currently fields four mock trial teams which compete in mock trial tournaments across the country. These tournaments are overseen by the American Mock Trial Association, and take place during the entirety of the academic year.

Mock Trial is a team-based type of speech competition that is practiced at every educational level, from middle school to graduate school. Participants in Collegiate Mock Trial assume the roles of both attorneys and witnesses, using critical thinking, debate skills, and a thorough knowledge of trial law to compete against other schools around the country in full..."mock" trials.

Most mock trial tournaments typically involve a series of trial competitions. Each trial consists of two teams of six people, with one team representing the plaintiff and one team representing the defense. Competitors take the roles of witnesses and attorneys, performing opening statements, closing statements, and direct and cross examinations before a panel of scoring judges. Competition for the entire academic year revolves around a single civil or criminal case, which is released by the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA).

Despite being a relatively young organization, Harvard Mock Trial has grown in recent years to become one of the top programs in the country. It won its division at the National Championship in 2006, 2007, and 2010, and has produced more All-Americans over the past five years than any other program in the country. Just as important is the depth of the program. In 2007, Harvard's "B" team beat out 600 other teams to finish 2nd in its Nationals Division--behind only the other Harvard team. In 2009, Harvard's teams won both regional tournaments they attended and compiled the best regional record in Collegiate Mock Trial history. In 2010, Harvard took second place in the nation, and in 2011, both Harvard teams qualified for nationals, with Harvard A team finishing fifth. Looking forward to the 2011-2012 season, Harvard is returning three All-Americans to its A Team despite being one of the youngest squads in the Northeast.

The program's success has led Harvard Mock Trial to pursue several initiatives outisde of competition. Chief among these is the High School Seminar Program, a weekend seminar where high school students come to learn the tactics and techniques that have allowed Harvard Mock Trial to succeed at the highest levels. The early results from the seminars have been outstanding--teams and students attending the training program have gone on to win more than a dozen state titles, and include both the 2009 High School National Champions and the 2010 National Runners-Up.

All current Harvard undergraduates are eligible to join the Harvard Mock Trial Association, and absolutely no experience in mock trial or law is necessary to do so. In fact, every year since its founding, Harvard Mock Trial has accepted multiple new members with no previous mock trial experience.

Unlike many other college mock trial teams, which allow new members only to observe and not to participate in competition, every new member of Harvard Mock Trial immediately becomes a competing member. Many new members have made it as far as the national level of competition in their first year on a team.

Tryouts are held every year in mid-September. Students with any interest in law or debate, experience in public speaking or theater, or who simply have a love of winning and a desire to challenge themselves, are encouraged to try out or visit our Prospective Members page for more information. Info sessions will be held on Saturday, September 3rd in Sever 102 and Sunday, September 4th in the Adams Lower Common Room.

Harvard name and/or VERITAS shield are trademarks of the President and Fellows of Harvard College and are used by permission of Harvard University.


	» Harvard 1097 won 5th place at Nationals and Harvard 1098 took home an Honorable Mention; both Harvard teams did an outstanding job. Congratulations to Christopher Ballesteros for being named an All American Attorney! » Harvard teams 1097 and 1098 secure two bids to the National Championship Tournament with records of 6-2 and 6-1-1 respectively. This is the first time in four years that Harvard has sent two teams to the National Championship Tournament. Shout out to Joseph Resnek, Christopher Ballesteros, and Graham Wyatt for their outstanding attorney performances. And congratulations to Miranda Beltzer, Georgia Stasinopoulos, and Sean Ouellette for their amazing witness performances. » Harvard team 1099 takes 5th at the Worcester Regional, with a record of 6-2, securing a third bid to the Open Round Championship. Unfortunately, Harvard had to forfeit this bid due to the rules governing the American Mock Trial Association, which only allow two teams to advance. Congratulations go out to Bianca Bamgbade and Christian Chauvet for winning awards for their amazing performance! Bianca Bamgbade had 18 ranks as a witness for the defense and Christian Chauvet had 18 ranks as an attorney for the plaintiff. » Harvard teams 1097 and 1098 take 2nd and 3rd at the Boston Regional, pulling a combined record of 14-1-1 and securing two bids to the Greenville, South Carolina, Opening Round Championship, which will be held March 25-27 at the Furman University. Shout out to Christopher Ballesteros, Jean-Paul Jacquet, Ethan Amaker, and Jessica Hwang! Christopher Ballesteros, as an attorney, had 18 ranks for the defense and 17 ranks for the plaintiff. Jean-Paul Jacquet had 17 ranks as an attorney for the plaintiff. Ethan Amaker had 19 ranks as a witness for the plaintiff and 17 ranks as a witness for the defense. Jessica Hwang had 18 ranks as a witness for the plaintiff. » Harvard Teams 799 and 798 kick off the season by taking 1st and 2nd place at the Justice Louis Brandeis Invitational on Halloween Weekend, 2009. » Harvard brings home TWO 1st-place trophies from the Yale Invitational, with Teams 796 and 797 each posting 7-1 records to win their divisions. » Harvard team 797 wins an Honorable Mention at Cornell's Big Red Invitational Tournament. » Congratulations to Harvard Team 1182 for finishing 6-2 at the Providence Regional to win a bid to the Boston Opening Round Championship! » Harvard teams 1179 and 1180 take 2nd and 3rd at the Worcester Regional, notching a combined record of 13-1-2 and securing two bids to the Boston Opening Round Championship, which will be held March 26-28 at the Suffolk County Courthouse. » Harvard Team 1179 finishes 7-1 to win its division at the National Championship Tournament in Memphis, TN, ultimately finishing as the National Runner-Up. This marks the third time in five years that Harvard has won its Nationals Division, making it the only team in the country with more than two Championship Round Appearances this decade.