The Jacksonville Bar Association’s Ribault High School Future Lawyers and Leaders program culminated this year with a mock trial April 20 at the Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse.
The annual program is a partnership among the JBA, the Young Lawyers Section, the Jacksonville Public Education Fund and the D.W. Perkins Bar Association. YLS board of governors member Dave Chauncey was chair of the program.
U.S. District Judge Brian Davis presided over the mock trial in which students were divided into prosecution and defense teams. Rami Ashouri coached the defense while Cassandra Smith coached the prosecution.
The students worked all year to prepare for the mock trial and had a wonderful performance in which Latrella Jackson was named “Best Attorney” for the trial.
Students were assigned mentors in the legal community and also attended field trips at the Duval County Courthouse and the University of North Florida.
