By Ebony Love and Obinna Anum
For more than seven months, members of the Jacksonville Bar Association and D.W. Perkins Bar Association worked with students from William M. Raines and Jean Ribault high schools, mentoring the next generation of attorneys.
Over time, lawyers helped students develop litigation skills which culminated in mock criminal trials conducted April 29 in the ceremonial courtroom at the Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse.
We thank the presiding judges who volunteered to host these stellar students: U.S. Magistrate Judge Monte Richardson and 4th Circuit Judge London Kite.
We also thank U.S. District Judge Brian Davis and retired Duval County Judge Pauline Drake for serving as mentors to students and also thank the attorneys who ran the programs at each school.
So many attorneys were instrumental in making the mock trials happen and we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the work and time that Christine Michel and LaToya Williams-Shelton put into organizing events.
We saw what the future of lawyering looks like and we can proudly say that the future of our profession looks bright.
Obinna Anum is an attorney at Esquire Litigation Group and president of D.W. Perkins Bar Association. Ebony Love is a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Brian Davis.
