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Wayne Law Hosts Regional Trial Competition

By Edward Cardenas

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - The next generation of lawyers will get to test their skills this weekend at a regional round of the National Trial Competition held at the Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse.

Wayne Law is the host of the competition for 20 teams from 10 law schools in Michigan and Ohio will compete in 36 mock trials.

The students are competing through the weekend trying a domestic violence case both as the prosecution, and defense, in a court setting before judges.

"It actually puts the students in a real live courtroom and puts them in the shoes of prosecutor or defense attorneys," said Jocelyn Benson, dean of the Wayne State University Law School.

The teams of second- and thirds-year law students will compete until two remain, and they will move onto the national competition in Texas in March.

This is the first time in 15 years Wayne Law has hosted this competion, which is a great opportunity for both local students and those visiting to experience Detroit and learn from nearly 150 judges and lawyers who are volunteering throughout the weekend.

"Wayne Law takes very seriously our opportunity to train the next generation of attorneys, leaders and advocates for justice throughout the state of Michigan," Benson said. "This is a great opportunity to make sure our students have access to the greatest legal minds in the area who are now coming to help judge and be involved in the competition."

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