LA ABOTA holds 1st mock trial with students

The Los Angeles Chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates held its first mock trial for school students at Stanley Mosk Courthouse on Wednesday, kicking off what board members hope will become a regular event.

"The L.A. chapter of ABOTA got together and said, 'You know, we really want to do something for students in the area to expose them to what not only lawyers are but trial lawyers in the courtroom," said Daniel K. Kramer of Kramer Law, who sits on the chapter's executive committee.

Rahul Ravipudi of Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi LLP

Kramer collaborated with committee members Linda Star of Packer O'Leary & Corson in Glendale, Rahul Ravipudi of Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi LLP in Los Angeles and Christopher T. Aumais of Good Gustafson Aumais LLP in Los Angeles to organize the event.

"ABOTA approached us and we have legal pathways at our school in the public service industry sector, and so we invited ... the students who are interested in wanting to learn more about law to come here and actually see this case," said Esther Soliman, career technical education and linked learning administrator for the Los Angeles Unified School District. "So ABOTA was great about offering up that opportunity to us."

From left: Christopher T. Aumais of Good Gustafson Aumais LLP; Lourdes DeArmas of Omega Law Group PC; Michael N. Schonbuch of Daniels, Fine, Israel, Schonbuch & Lebovits LLP; Edward E. Ward Jr. of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP; Brian J. Breiter of Law Offices of Brian Breiter; Rahul Ravipudi of Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi LLP; and Daniel K. Kramer of Kramer Law

About 200 students attended the event, where Superior Court Judge Rupert A. Byrdsong presided over mock voir dire, arguments and examinations.

"I thought this is a perfect opportunity for ABOTA and LAUSD to come together and try to create an opportunity for students to become inspired and want to become trial lawyers or want to become lawyers," Ravipudi said. "Getting 200 and something students here along with the L.A. Superior Court to help make this endeavor happen along with ABOTA -- this is truly an amazing opportunity."

Event organizers say the goal is to make these mock trials a regular activity overseen by ABOTA chapters across the nation.

"We are really hoping people go home to their families and start thinking about what kind of career they want to have, and we want them to consider trial law as a profession," Kramer said.