“This is my first year helping out,” said Jennifer Powers Iacobucci, who is coaching a team from Finney High School . “I joined because I wanted to do some volunteer work but I am unable to do pro bono work because of my job [with the Appellate Division]. I meet with the kids every Saturday for four hours. I believe that if children learn, from a young age, to speak publicly they will learn confidence and self-esteem.”

Allendale Columbia students are working with two attorney coaches: Bethany Centrone and Jon Griffen.

“It is very exciting to see how interested the kids are in the law and to see them learn that there are legal arguments for both sides of the issue,” said Centrone. “My co-coach from the public defender's office and I try to let the students work as independently as possible. We've spent a few hours each week through January and February and if they continue to win in the local rounds, we'll stick with them while they continue to compete.”

Leslie Swift, who is in her third year of Mock Trial coaching, says the program helps her re-learn trial techniques. “You are forced to boil down trial technique to its basic elements. Our first meeting was spent strategizing. Since then we've focused on different parts of the trial: the opening statement, direct examination, cross examination and closing statements.”

Swift is working with students from Spencerport, where her dad was a teacher and coach for over 30 years. Throughout her own education, Swift participated in Mock Trial competitions in high school, college and law school.

Julie Jordan is serving as a judge in the early rounds of local competition.