UW’s Mock Trial Club hosted its first ever intercollegiate tournament called the Black and Gold Invitational on Jan. 25 to 26. The tournament took about six months of planning – there were about 18 teams from eight universities across Ontario, including Western University, University of Toronto, Brock University, UW, University of Guelph, York University, and University of Windsor. The finals included Guelph vs. Windsor, where Windsor took the victory. UW’s Mock Trial Club took months writing the tournament case, R v. Alder, which was about a fight at a fraternity party that ended in a manslaughter charge. 

The competition had several unique features, including re-examination to more closely mirror a real trial. An intensive amount of Ontario evidence law was provided, which enabled teams to raise and refute objections using legal precedent. The case was unique because of the fact that each side was given three possible witnesses but could only call two in a round. This forced teams to swiftly adjust to the decisions made by their opponents. 

The tournament had many talented legal professionals, such as members of the Crown Attorney’s office and experienced criminal defence counsel. Law students, legal professionals, and lawyers were all part of judging the tournament so the club could get good feedback and network opportunities for their students. 

Eshitaa Behal, vice-president of the Mock Trial Club, said, “As students interested in oral advocacy that always attended competitions hosted by other universities, it was an honour being able to write our own case and host such a successful and large tournament that helped us establish ourselves amongst those schools and the legal professionals who judged the tournament, while giving Waterloo students of all disciplines the chance to compete and witness a mock trial tournament.” 

Gabriela Sibisan, vice-president of events at the club, said, “It’s inspiring to see so many students push their limits and develop their advocacy skills through an original case we wrote. watching them grow as future leaders and legal minds is truly rewarding, and I’m proud to have helped make this event possible.” 

Victoria Ventura, President of the Mock Trial Club, expressed her pride and satisfaction with the team’s efforts. She said, “Hosting such a complex and large-scale event was definitely an ambitious choice for our first tournament. But ultimately, we wanted to give students the opportunity to push themselves and their skills, and the performances I saw exceeded that expectation.

“Seeing our characters come to life, from the fraternity brother to the forensic pathologist, was a surreal experience. The participants embodied the role better than I could’ve imagined.”