Alumni help Mock Trial Team prepare for regionals, Nick Bohuslawsky named outstanding attorney

Both the green and white Ohio University Mock Trial Teams finished their season with a handful of wins at the AMTA regional tournament in Dayton, Ohio, on Feb. 4 and 5.

OHIO Mock Trial President and political science pre-law major Nick Bohuslawsky was recognized as an outstanding attorney for his performance as the plaintiff closer, earning three first place ranks and one second place rank.

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“I’m very proud of how we competed, not just that weekend but through the year, and getting the award was a very good way to end the season,” Bohuslawsky said.

The OHIO green and white teams competed in eight different trials across the weekend, crossing paths with colleges including the University of Cincinnati, the University of Michigan, Bellarmine University, and the University of Kentucky.

Team members found support and feedback from Ohio University alumni Leah Wolfe, who earned a B.A. in History in 2007 from the Honors Tutorial College, Mike Muth, who earned a bachelor's degree in 1972 from University College, and John Kiefer, associate professor of instruction in the College of Business. They volunteered their time to review materials and judge inter-team scrimmages.

“I really enjoyed serving as a guest judge during mock trial practice. I could tell that the team had worked extremely hard to prepare, and it was very rewarding to play a small role in helping them improve further by giving feedback and tips. And despite my initial worries that I didn’t have the 'right' skill set as an average litigator to serve as a judge, I had a great time playing the role and doling out rulings on the spot. I’d recommend the experience to anyone!” said Wolfe, senior litigation counsel for E-Discovery at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Attorney Keifer commented that he was "truly impressed with the quality of presentation and professionalism of those who participated before me. When I read through the scenario, I felt that the students would not be up to the task, given the complexity of the issues involved. I am proud to say that I was wrong.”

Muth, magisterial district judge for East Stroudsburg, Penn., said, “I was amazed by the excitement the team generated when being taught something new. They seemed genuinely interested in learning. That is such a rare quality in my line of work, and it made my trip to OU worthwhile.”

The team will now direct their focus to electing their executive board, debriefing the season, and preparing for another round of competitions next year.

Their competition was made possible, in part, through funding from the Student Activities Commission of Student Senate.