On Feb. 3, McLean’s Mock Trial Team will head to the Fairfax County Government Center for their annual regional tournament. McLean will compete against schools including Episcipal, Floyd County, Independence, Jackson-Reed, Maret, Oakton, Riverside, Washington International, and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

Mock Trial meets every Sunday for two to three hours.

“It’s actually a unique club because from October to December it’s completely virtual,” co-captain Niki Hoffman said. “It gives us a lot more flexibility than other clubs.”

The club is based on the dynamic of a real court trial, with members acting out the different roles, such as attorney, witness, and courtroom artist and journalist. Ahead of regionals, the Mock Trial Team is preparing written statements, verbal testimonies, and improvised cross examinations.

“Mock trial is beneficial because you learn about case law and objections that you normally wouldn’t have until law school,” Hoffman said. “The combination of public speaking, acting, and improvisation has helped me in school presentations and developed my confidence.”

The Virginia and Washington, DC, High School Mock Trial Program is coordinated by the Virginia Law-Related Education Institute. The season begins with regional competitions across Virginia and DC in January and February. Teams that win and place highly in the region are invited to compete in the state finals in March. The state champion team then represents Virginia and DC at the National High School Mock Trial Competition.

Last year, McLean Mock Trial placed first in the region, and co-captain Abigail Sterner received Best Attorney.

“We expect to see similar success this year,” Hoffman said. “We’ve been preparing a lot, and I hope to see that effort pay off.”