May 8, 2017
New Pre-Law Ambassador receives top attorney award
Submitted by Daralyn Gordon Arata
Elizabeth Patton, a sophomore in open option and pre-law, won the mock trial competition in K-State's COMM 260: Introduction to Trial Advocacy course.
Patton, who recently joined Pre-Law Ambassadors, received a near-perfect score on her presentation and was awarded a certificate for Top Trial Presentation on May 5 at the communication studies department's year-end celebration.
During the trial, students are scored by three judges with local attorneys serving as the "witnesses" who are questioned on the stand to build the case.
Introduction to Trial Advocacy gives pre-law students at K-State a hands-on introduction to the legal process, focusing on the basic techniques attorneys use to develop and present a persuasive court case. As part of their final grade, students are given a set of facts and prepare as either the prosecution or defense, arguing against a classmate representing the opposing side.
The Office of Pre-Law Advising received an incentive grant from the provost's office to purchase iPads and TrialPad software that students use to assist them with the organization and delivery of their case. K-State is currently the only undergraduate institution to utilize TrialPad in advocacy instruction, a skill that is highly transferable to law school.