Time
Pictured above, The Tatnall School’s mock trial team finished in eighth place at this year’s Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition. On the left are Alex Lintner ’15 and Mia Wilson ’17, and below are David Klemens ‘16 and Christina Morgan ’15, who all earned gavels at the competition.
The Tatnall students received help with the case’s technical details from a fire expert and an insurance valuator. “It was great for the students to see how these professions are applied in real life,” Hiller says. Attorneys Deb Cuoco, Felicia Kerr and Tom Eubler also helped the students to understand the nuances of the law. “Mock trial is not easy for the students,” Cuoco says. “These students juggle and time-manage their workloads, theater commitments, sports and many other obligations—and yet, year after year, they rise to the challenge.” Malley’s photographic memory played a key role in his portrayal of the certified public accountant Noel E.R. Donovan (the initials spell N.E.R.D.) for Tatnall’s plaintiff team. “Unlike a play, I don’t memorize lines, but try to embody a character for a short amount of time,” Malley says. “I memorized all the details of the case, which helped me to avoid contradicting others’ statements and come across as credible.” Christina Morgan ’15 enjoyed taking a leadership role in her third year on the team, helping Tatnall’s defense team to demonstrate that the fire had been set by a disgruntled employee. “At the end of the competition, there’s a sense of relief and accomplishment, and it’s one of my favorite parts of mock trial,” says Morgan, who aspires to study law someday. During the competition, Cuoco enjoyed sitting in the courtroom gallery, watching the students’ hard work and determination pay off. “Nothing beats the feeling that you get when you hear from one of your former students, and he or she has decided to take the LSATs and apply to law school based on the mock trial experience,” Cuoco says. “It makes it all so worth it.”
Spring 2015 :: Tatnall Today :: 11