The mock trial team earned third place at the Illinois state competition in Springfield, hosted by the Illinois State Bar Association, marking one of the program’s strongest finishes in recent years.

A mock trial is a simulated legal proceeding where students act as attorneys and witnesses, presenting a hypothetical case that the association puts on every year. The teams are randomly assigned a side, defense or prosecution, and have a trial in front of a judge or jury to learn legal procedures, develop critical thinking and improve public speaking. The attorneys perform opening statements, direct and cross-examinations and closing arguments, while the witnesses from each team respond in character, role-playing. Teams work on a single case throughout the season, refining both performance and legal strategy.

This season stood out due to both team growth and a shift in mindset. According to junior Michael Lagowski, the team saw an influx of new members who quickly developed their skills.

“The team’s definitely changed a lot since the beginning of the year,” Lagowski said. “We had a lot of new freshmen and sophomores come in … and thanks to the leadership of our captains and our coaches, they learned a lot.”

The team was taking a casual approach to the year, until they placed fourth out of more than 20 teams at the Wheeling Invitational, their first in-person tournament. Junior Jonathan Bedolla attributes this to be the turning point for the mock trial team.

“From that point, we kind of took on this mindset that this was going to be just a great season,” Bedolla said. “That first tournament changed us to make us do really well through the whole season; it was an expectation to win.”

The team earned 1st and 2nd place at the Maine South competition, 3rd place at the Rolling Meadows Courthouse and 4th place at the McLean County tournament, with over 20 outstanding attorney awards and outstanding witness awards won over the season. The team worked hard at practice to prepare for their competitions and met outside of school and on weekends to conduct more research.

“Despite winning a lot, we always worked hard and stayed humble,” freshman Hannah Ghiliazghi said. “We didn’t let the wins keep us from working hard.”

It’s not just all preparation, either: team bonding also played a key role in the team’s success. From traveling to competitions to spending time together outside of practice, members built strong relationships throughout the season.

“Before every single trial, we huddle up in a circle, and we just motivate each other,” sophomore Divina Yohanna said.

That sense of unity carried into competition, where members emphasized representing the school as a collective.

“We’re all individual people, but we’re all representing Niles West,” junior River Delman said. “We all have a collective mindset … that we need to go out there and do our best.”

When the time came for the state, the unity the team built helped them climb the ranks. The varsity and junior varsity teams had a common competitor at the tournament, and the quick thinking helped them prepare and come out on top. Communication between teammates also played a crucial role, especially during high-pressure rounds at the state competition.

On days one and two, the team had two trials. After their performance ranked them in the top ten, they moved into a high-tension bracket with the best teams at the tournament.

“The most nerve-wracking thing was our third round at state when we found out we were in the top ten,” captain and junior Anastasia Foutris said. “Right after we were celebrating, we immediately had to go to trial.”

Despite the pressure and quick turnaround between rounds, the team’s preparation and communication helped them secure a third-place finish.

Beyond competition, members say the mock trial has provided them with valuable skills, with a number of the team planning to go into law and compete in college.

“I’ve met some of my closest friends through this club,” Lagowski said. “We’re not just a team—we’re family.”

Students interested in joining the mock trial next year can attend the activities fair this upcoming fall.