CSQ-Juripop Mock Trial Competition

February 18, 2023

Participating in the annual mock trial competition organized by Juripop for CEGEP students was an experience that I am not about to forget. For months leading up to the event, my team and I worked tremendously hard to acquire important legal knowledge and rise to the occasion on the day of the trial, which took place at the University of Montreal's Faculty of Law. We were assigned the prosecution side, which means that we had to establish the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In my team, I personally held the role of a lawyer; thus, I was responsible for delivering the opening statement and conducting one examination and two cross-examinations. The challenge of it all made it even more enjoyable because I was able to improve my questioning and persuasion skills, by receiving, among other things, valuable feedback from the judge, who is a real-life lawyer.

In sum, this simulated trial was a once-in-a-lifetime experience which confirmed my keen interest in studying law at university. Although my desire to deliver justice to those who deserve it has always been a part of me, it was only by finding myself in a real courtroom that I was able to confirm that interest.