North Central College - Naperville, IL
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Mock Trial

If you want to explore careers in the legal field –– or just become a more poised and persuasive speaker –– our Mock Trial team welcomes your participation.  The Mock Trial team is open to all full-time students of any major.

As an NCC "mocker," you will

  • learn to think on your feet, make cogent arguments, and persuade a judge to rule in favor of your client.
  • meet with prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys, sitting judges, and experts to help with case preparation.
  • argue a criminal or civil case and compete against colleges and universities of all sizes and from all parts of the United States in American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) competition.
  • travel to tournaments in the region and, depending on the year, around the country.

Team members perform opening statements, closing arguments, direct and cross-examination of witnesses, and play the role of a witness, such as a medical examiner, detective or murder defendant.

Although many "mockers" are interested in a legal career, some of our most successful participants have had diverse career interests, including teaching, journalism, history, theatre and business. 

Scholarships are available for incoming students. Ask your Admission Representative or contact the team's educator-coach, Dr. Caliendo, at smcaliendo@noctrl.edu.

Joliet Regional 2010: Bid to Opening Round Championship Tournament

North Central's Mock Trial Team tied for the third-best record at the 2010 Joliet (IL) Regional Tournament (see sidebar). Front row (from left): Tanvi Potdukhe, Brett Buckley, Mary Constantino (attorney-coach), Alyssa Figueroa, and Stephen Maynard Caliendo (eduator-coach). Back row (from left): Alyssa Rabulinski, Colin McGowan, Matt Grennell, and Jessica Branch.

NCC Earns Bid to National Tournament

North Central’s Mock Trial team advanced to national competition for the first time since 2003 by finishing tied for the third-best record (5-1-2) in the 20-team field at the AMTA’s Joliet Regional competition Feb. 20-21 at Lewis University in Romeoville. North Central finished behind teams from the University of Michigan and Loyola University Chicago and ahead of teams from the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, the University of Notre Dame, Bradley University and other Midwestern colleges and universities.

Team co-captain Alyssa Rabulinski, a junior from Westmont, was recognized with a first-place outstanding attorney award and Alyssa Figueroa, a junior from Poplar Grove, Ill., was recognized as an outstanding witness. The team is rounded out by co-captain Brett Buckley, a senior from Orland Park; Jessica Branch, a junior from Chicago; Matt Grennell, a senior from Tinley Park; Colin McGowan, a senior from Woodstock; and Tanvi Potdukhe, a sophomore from Woodridge.