Two Mississippi Valley State University students scheduled to graduate Saturday have won scholarships for law school for their success in a mock trial competition.
Thaddeus Brooks and L.E. Carter III participated in the John Marshall National Undergraduate Diversity Mock Trial Competition, held at John Marshall Law School in Chicago on April 13.
Brooks, 22, of Marks, was on a three-person team that placed second in the national championship round, earning the history major a $9,000 scholarship for law school.
He was on a team with students from LeMoyne-Owen College of Memphis and Lewis University of Chicago.
Brooks and Carter, a 22-year-old student from McComb, also were named Outstanding Trial Advocate Award winners, which brings with it a $2,000 law school scholarship.
In all, 78 students from around the country participated in the competition. They got “every aspect of the legal experience,” said Larry Chappell, Valley’s pre-law adviser.
“They played several different roles — opening attorney, closing attorney, they have to direct a witness, they have to cross-examine the witness and they also have to play a witness,” he said.
Chappell is also a professor of political science and coordinator of the school’s political science program.
Initially, because of a lack of Title III funding, it was unclear if the Valley team would be heading to Chicago, Chappell said — but thanks to the MVSU Foundation, the team was able to pick up the $3,000 tab for the trip.
He said the pace of the competition is demanding.
“They have to join up with people from other schools and learn to work with them fairly quickly, in about an hour,” Chappell said.
Brooks who is also minoring in political science, said he came to the mock trial team almost by accident.
“This fall, when I was deciding on a minor, I was advised that it would be impressive to have a political science minor,” he said.
Once he began two political science courses taught by Chappell, the hook was set.
“I must admit, since I’ve gone through mock trials, I consider myself to be much more flexible,” he said. “I have gained some skills that I didn’t have before. Those skills I can use for the rest of my life as a lawyer and a teacher.”
Carter, a political science major, said the mock trial process helped him hone his skills. He had taken a number of classes from Chappell, who invited him to join the mock trial team.
He was already interested in learning about the legal system, and the intensive study required for mock trial is valuable as he prepares for law school, he said.
The competition makes students think, and the success of the team comes down to how well its members prepare, he said.
“You have to think logically and be able to interpret. We basically had two weeks with the case as opposed to other schools who had the case since February. We worked hard,” he said.
Chappell said Carter’s accomplishment is all the more noteworthy because he played on Valley’s baseball team last year.
Both Brooks and Carter had to attend the group’s regular three-hour practice sessions on Sunday, he said.
Carter initially was thinking about attending Mississippi College’s School of Law. Now, with the scholarship funds, he has more schools to choose from, including John Marshall, he said.
Brooks said the plans to teach for a year before heading to law school.
Chappell said he’s proud of the hard work of the young men.
“To have them succeed at this level in a national competition reflects well on the university,” he said.
“It reflects on Dr. Chappell as well,” Brooks said.
•Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
