Serving as volunteer legal mentors, Watson Spence partner Alfreda Sheppard and local attorney Sandra Satchell, recently led Sherwood Christian Academy’s (SCA) first mock trial team, the Legal Eagles, to victory in the District Mock Trial Competition. The group also went on to compete in the Georgia State High School Mock Trial Competition in Atlanta in March.
Students acted as attorneys and witnesses in a mock court case, with professional attorneys and judges acting as presiding judges and jurors or evaluators. Teams were evaluated on their ability to make a logical, cohesive and persuasive presentation, rather than on the legal merits of the case.Although they did not advance to the national competition, SCA high school guidance counselor James Byrd, who coached the mock trial team, said, “These students fought every round with grit and grace. We were so excited to be a part of the competition put on by the State Bar of Georgia. Our team began practice later in the school year, but even with a truncated practice schedule, our students and attorney coaches put together a fierce and highly competitive team!”