On May 3rd the YLHS mock trial team, along with former members, visited the the Fowler School of Law at Chapman University. There, students got to see courtrooms that have been commissioned for legal usage, moot court simulations, classrooms, and different on-campus programs and extracurricular activities that Chapman University has to offer.

The field trip started with a filling meal of Bruxies outside of Chapman. Afterwards, we entered the main building of the law school where we were greeted by an admission officer. The admission officer explained what law schools look for in students. She explained that, primarily, applicants are judged only on the Law School Admission Test Score and their GPA. Other elements factor in as well, but the decision is mainly based on those two statistics.

Then, a student explained the three different competitive programs regarding legal practice at Chapman University. The three different programs are mock trial, moot court, and negotiations. Mock trial is the traditional courtroom competition where students are given a fictitious case, usually criminal, and the students construct their cases based on pre-composed witness statements. Moot court is more of an appellate court simulation wherein a panel of judge questions the appeal cases of students. Negotiation is as it sounds: three different parties with predisposed context, stipulations, and situations dispute for the most universally beneficial outcome.

YLHS students then participated in an example of negotiation where a farmer grows precious and rare fruits and two competing buyers, the government and a scientific foundation, argue for a scarce quantity of goods.

After the little game, YLHS mock trial team went on a tour of the law school and the rest of the Chapman University campus. Students were brought to competition rooms that simulated actual appellate courts and real courtrooms. One of the courtrooms was recently renovated and is regularly commissioned for actual legal use. The mock trial team also saw classrooms and different buildings around the campus.

Chapman has a building called the smart building where everything from the color to the chairs is designed for comfortable study and a better educational setting. On campus, there is a real piece of the Berlin Wall displayed. Ace Garcia(9) was impressed by “the beautiful structures and lively campus. The law school seemed like a well-equipped institution.”

After the tour, the team ate lunch and returned to school. Overall, Chapman Fowler School of Law has a beautiful campus, wonderful staff, and respectable ranking.