UO Mock Trial was a turning point in my path toward becoming a lawyer. As a competitor, I earned an All-Regional Outstanding Attorney award in 2020 and captained teams that won three Spirit of the American Mock Trial Awards. Along the way, I made friends that I will have for life. After graduating, I returned as a coach in 2023, when UOMT had one of its most successful seasons— all four teams placed at Regionals (above prestigious institutions like UW and UC Berkeley), two advanced to ORCS (since that is the maximum per school), and several students earned individual awards. I also supported tabulation for the Duckpond Showdown Tournament (founded by a UOMT competitor), which continues to bring high school students to UO specifically because of mock trial.
The skills I built at UOMT—thinking quickly under pressure, speaking with clarity, and leading a team—have carried me through every step since my time in forensics. I interned at the Maui County Prosecutor’s Office, externed for the Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, and now, as a 3L at the William S. Richardson School of Law, I’m captain and oralist on our Jessup International Law Moot Court Team. I also coach King Kekaulike High School’s mock trial team in Maui, where I pass on the same techniques, strategies, and lessons I first learned at UOMT.
For me, UOMT wasn’t just an activity—it’s the foundation I keep building on, and I recommend it to every student who wants to challenge themselves and grow.