Mock Trial “Super Stars vs. Rising Stars”

A View from the Bench: Commercial Litigation Mock Trial “Super Stars vs. Rising Stars”

On July 18, 2014, the Daily Business Review sponsored a mock trial where five super stars faced off against five rising stars. The program was designed to demonstrate winning techniques for the audience of five hundred. The participants demonstrated voir dire, opening, closing, direct and cross examinations. A group of volunteers gave feedback on the attorneys’ performances, and publicly deliberated.

The “Super Star” attorneys included:

• Mary Barzee Flores, Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson
• Ervin Gonzalez, Colson Hicks Eidson
• Michael Kreitzer, Bilzin Sumberg
• Markenzy Lapointe, Boies, Schiller & Flexner
• Peter Prieto, Podhurst Orseck

The “Rising Star” attorneys included

• Jane Muir, Phillips & Muir.
• Katie Phang, Arrastia Capote & Phang LLP
• Natalie Rico, Colson Hicks Eidson
• Harout Samra, DLA Piper
• Effie Silva, McDermott Will & Emery

A panel of judges presided over the trial, including:

• Judge Beatrice Butchko, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
• Judge Robin Rosenbaum, U.S. Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit
• Judge Vance Salter, Florida Third District Court of Appeal

The case file was about a housekeeper who had been fired from her position working for a wealthy couple, because they suspected that she had stolen jewelry. The former employer mentioned the incident to a fellow member of their country club, who did not hire the housekeeper as a result. The housekeeper was suing for defamation against her former employers.

Jane Muir performed the Voir Dire for the Rising Stars trial team. Voir dire is a procedure that is performed at the beginning of a jury trial, where the attorneys ask the jurors questions in order to be certain that they can be fair and impartial, and follow the law. The purpose is to identify any jurors who have bias that can prevent them from making a decision that is consistent with the facts and the law of the case.