As part of its community outreach program, attorneys at Shutts & Bowen’s Fort Lauderdale office have been coaching students enrolled in Fort Lauderdale High School’s Law Magnet Program.
Since November 2008, attorneys Suzanne Driscoll, Temple Kearns, Ed O’Sheehan and Sidney Calloway have volunteered their time and personal resources to coach nine students 3 hours a week. Fort Lauderdale Office Managing Partner, Allan Rubin, presided as judge and several attorneys and staff members acted as jurors at a recent dress rehearsal prior to the Broward County Mock Trial Competition.
At the Competition, the students are required to participate in several mock trials against other local high schools representing both the Plaintiff and the Defendant in a personal injury case. The dress rehearsal was aimed at giving the team a feel for the “real thing” as none of this years members had any prior experience in this Competition.
Suzanne Driscoll, a partner in the firm’s Eminent Domain Practice Group, said “It has been so exciting to work with a group of young people who are enthusiastic about the law. Their talent and dedication is outstanding.”
Allan Rubin said, “Fort Lauderdale High School is in our backyard. With any luck, when these excellent students graduate from law school, we’ll be able to hire them into our firm!”
On Saturday, February 21, 2009, Fort Lauderdale High School took an overall 3rd place at the County Mock Trial Competition. One of the team’s members was honored as the “Best Witness” in the competition.