‘A phenomenal experience’: The Summer Law and Trial Institute

In July, the Summer Law and Trial Institute (SLTI) welcomed 24 high school students from across the state of Ohio both to Athens and to the practice of law.

For the ninth year in a row, the program strived to give students an introduction to the American legal system, what law practice looks like in Southeastern Ohio, strong mentorship connections, and a mock trial experience. The students spent five days meeting virtually and six days on the Athens campus, where they met with various alumni and key figures in law around the state, ending in the mock trial presided over by Athens County Juvenile and Probate Court Judge Zachary Saunders.

“It is one of the highlights of my year to work with the Summer Law & Trial Institute as the judge for the Mock Trial Capstone. As a first-generation college graduate, and law school graduate, I feel lucky to give back to inspiring law students. I am honored to represent not only Athens County, but Ohio University when engaging with the Summer Law & Trial Institute,” Saunders said.

SLTI has been spearheaded by Ohio University alumnus and director of legal engagement and pre-law program Larry Hayman since 2016. Hayman provided students with an understanding of the legal system, organized the program, and led the students through the 10-day experience.

“The program is important for so many reasons and I am glad that Larry is leading the way,” Saunders said. “This program is allowing children who are interested in the legal system to explore their interests while also preparing them for the future. The legal community is a tight-knit community and it is wonderful to see professionals provide their valuable time to educate the next generation of lawyers. I am excited for the next generation of attorneys and the Summer Law & Trial Institute is giving those children the best opportunities to explore the legal system. “

This year, the students were also mentored by four current OHIO pre-law students, three program assistants and a mock trial coach. Casey Patterson, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Law, Justice, and Culture Studies and was a spring ‘24 honors political science graduate, served as the mock trial coach.

Patterson, who was an SLTI student in 2019, said one of his favorite parts of working the program was the students’ development.

"Seeing the way these kids grew over the course of this program was a phenomenal experience,” Patterson said. “Watching the excitement grow in their eyes over the course of the program was amazing to see. You could tell when the law finally 'clicked' for these kids!”

While meeting on Teams, students and staff welcomed guests daily. Over the virtual segment students learned about the basics of mock trial with three prior mock trial team presidents, courtroom decorum with Amy Flowers, immigration law with Erin Patterson, and about the potential of a law degree with OHIO grads Barbara Nalazek, Pierce Reed and Amy Fleenor. This first section was crucial for students to grasp an understanding of what to expect in the program and what pursuing a career in law could look like.

Yashvi Pothrai, a high school student in the program, was dubbed “Best Attorney” in the mock trial.

“The Summer Law & Trial Institute set a firm foundation for me,” Pothrai said. “It provided me with insight on the law and what it would be like to practice it. The people we spoke to and the discussions we had confirmed that this is a path I want to pursue… It was an invaluable experience for me!”

At the end of the online portion, students and program assistants moved into university residence halls. Throughout the week, the high school students were able to live on a college campus, eat in the dining hall, and work in different classrooms around campus, giving them a brief look into college life.

On campus, students heard from more guest speakers. Athens Chief City Prosecutor Tracy Meek and defense attorney Peggy Replogle taught about the process of criminal trials. The case the students worked through to prepare for the mock trial was a criminal case titled New Columbia v. Chris Archer, which found a college student facing first-degree murder and criminal hazing charges.

“The Summer Law & Trial Institute is an invaluable experience for area youth to explore their interest in the law,” Meek said. “I’ve had the privilege of participating as a presenter, a juror and most recently, a parent of a participant!”

A returning guest, Meek said she sees similar growth in the students year after year.

“Every year, I’m astounded by the evolution of the students from a shy group of high school kids to a cohesive mock trial team raring to go for the final project. Larry has developed a truly exceptional program that OU should be extremely proud of.”

Other guests included Mark Weiker, who told students about his experience working in civil rights and education law, Miranda West, who presented on legal support professionals like paralegals, and former Federal Magistrate Judge Clarke VanDervort, who shared his background and introduced students to the case Gideon v. Wainwright, a formative case in the US legal system that ensures everyone has the right to legal representation.

VanDervort is a seasoned guest of the program.

“The Summer Law Institute introduces its students interactively to people who are serving and have served as judges at every level of the State judiciary and are practicing and have practiced law privately and in public offices,” VanDervort said. “Students gain from this a better sense of what their futures might look like should they choose careers in law.”

Some of the final in-person speakers were Caitlyn McDaniel and Lucy Schwallie from Legal Aid of Southeastern and Central Ohio. The two shared the challenges that surround access to justice in the southeastern Ohio region, some of which include the absence of transportation, technological disconnects, poverty, and a lack of practicing attorneys in the area.

McDaniel is an OHIO alumna.

“[SLTI is a] great program that gets high schoolers excited about careers in the legal profession,” she said. “Larry and his pre-law students do a fantastic job of showing participants what it's really like to practice law in a rural community. Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio is so grateful to be a part of the program every year.”

Program assistant Leighton Heiner is a philosophy major with a certificate in law, justice, and culture.

“I think the program shows students the importance of access to justice and what they can do in the future to combat the justice disparity,” Heiner said. “I really enjoy working with students to introduce them to mock trial and college life and support them through the intensive process that is preparing for a mock trial. I think that the program is an incredible opportunity for students to learn what it is that lawyers do and what they need to do to prepare for following that path.”

Outside of classroom work, the program students and staff visited multiple sites in Athens and the state capital Columbus. In Athens, students were able to see the Athens County Court of Common Pleas three times, meeting with criminal court Judge Patrick Lang in his courtroom as well as Judge Saunders' courtroom. 

Alex Marcum is a student from Lawrence County.

“SLTI informed me about law and how the legal system works,” Marcum said. “Every guest we met was very helpful, knowledgeable about the respectful field of the law, and friendly. I recommend this program to anyone interested in studying law because it allowed me to become more knowledgeable about how the law works.”

In Columbus, students went to the Columbus City Attorney's Office, met with the ACLU of Ohio director and various staff members, and had the privilege of visiting the Supreme Court of Ohio. At the Supreme Court, students were able to sit in on oral arguments, explore the building, and eat lunch with Justice Melody Stewart and her staff. 

Program assistant Riley Sargent, a senior studying political science with certificates in Law, Justice, and Culture and Political Communications, shared that “working SLTI is a transformative experience. Not only do the students learn from our guests, so do we as program staff! The students this year were phenomenal and I know that the program strengthened many of their interests in law.”

As a prior program assistant (2022), Sargent found this experience different from the first time, noting that “this year, I feel like I really got to know the students and work closely with them, the other program staff, and our fantastic guests.”

At the end of the second week, it was time for students to present their mock trial demonstrations after a week of preparation. Families were welcomed to campus to watch and to learn about OHIO, some of which were alumni themselves. Though nerves were high, students were able to eloquently deliver their arguments and witness testimony resulting in two remarkable trials and proud faces all around.

The student named “Best Witness,” Sophia Sturiano, explained that “the amount of detail and time we were given on the law and its professions was just enough to give us an in-depth look without overwhelming us. It thoroughly demystified the trials and lawyers - with this new understanding of the way the courts change the country, I feel empowered as a young voter. It was also great to see everyone use their personal strengths during the Mock Trial.”

Over the course of the program, students got to meet with over 30 speakers, with the majority of those people being OHIO grads. SLTI is a program that encourages students to pursue a career in law whether it be a specific field of practice, as a paralegal, or as a director of a major program like the Ohio Innocence Project or the ACLU of Ohio. Judge VanDervort noted that the students’ and guests’ “presentations are invariably excellent. I have no doubt that Ohio University’s Summer Law and Trial Institute is the best program of its kind in the country, and I am privileged to participate in it.”

The Summer Law and Trial Institute is free to students, made possible by generous alumni donations.