Hofstra’s Black Law Student Association Mock Trial Team Makes Final Four in Regional Competition

Hofstra Law School, Hempstead, N.Y. — Hofstra’s Black Law Student Association (BLSA) Mock Trial Team made the Final Four at the BLSA Northeast Regional Conference held in Springfield, Massachusetts.  The Team’s members include Paul Bromley ‘09, Diana Buchanan ’09, John Campo ‘11 and Daniel Watts ‘09.

“As a team we worked so hard, and when it was game time we gave it our all.  It was amazing to see how countless hours of practice became an aggressive trial with our peers,” said Team Captain Diana Buchanan.

The Hofstra team, coached by New York attorney Jean Wesh, beat out 36 competitors to land in the Final Four.  Hofstra defeated defending champion Massachusetts School of Law and eventually lost to Harvard Law School, the team that went on to take top honors.

"Coach Jean Wesh was integral to our success.  Having the guidance of a well-seasoned practitioner undoubtedly gave us the tools we needed to prepare for a competition of this magnitude," said Paul Bromley.

The BLSA Mock Trial competition is a criminal trial that includes opening statements, direct examinations, cross examinations, motions arguments and closing arguments.  

BLSA is a national organization whose goals include increasing the number of African-American students in law school, encouraging a greater commitment of African-American attorneys to their community and instilling a heightened awareness of the legal and non-legal problems facing the African-American community.  In addition, BLSA struggles to encourage American law schools to increase recruitment of people of color, to help eradicate institutional racism and to address disparate treatment of African-Americans within the judicial system.