Shayla Stein, Law’16, and Jennifer Cao, Law’17, brought the OTLA Cup home to Macdonald Hall. They turned in a triple-crown performance at the 2016 Ontario Trial Lawyers’ Association Moot held at the Windsor Superior Court of Justice on March 5–6. Not only did they win the award for Best Overall Team, but they also took top individual honours: Stein was named Best Overall Advocate and Cao gave the Best Cross-Examination. 

“Mooting made me realize that beyond the law and our textbooks, being a good advocate is also highly about delivery to your audience,” says Stein. “You need to tailor yourself to your audience, be engaging and grab their attention.”

The team faced off against five other Ontario law schools, presenting a mock civil trial to a jury composed of leading personal injury lawyers. The OTLA Moot is entirely about oral advocacy, with competitors giving opening statements, examinations in chief, cross-examinations, re-examinations and closing arguments. 

This year’s issue featured four defendants accused of negligence in a drunk boating accident on Lake Ontario, outside of Kingston. The Queen’s team reached a complete victory - achieving a finding of no liability for their client, “The Boat Company.” 

Stein, whose examination-in-chief of the Boat Company’s manager, cross-examination of a co-defendant and concise closing were key to the team’s success, chose to compete in the OTLA Moot in order to confirm her passion for litigation. Although admitting the moot was more difficult than she had imagined it would be, she enjoyed the challenge of being on her feet and having to think two steps ahead. “It was highly intimidating but rewarding when it all came together.

“Preparing for the moot was a surprising amount of fun,” she says. “It is a very nuanced and delicate process that I hadn’t previous appreciated. You really end up feeling like a story-teller and our coaches really drove home the importance of conveying a specific meaning with each word.” 

Cao’s powerful opening statement and cross-examination of the Plaintiff (which included a successful impeachment of his credibility) were equally central to the team’s win, and mooting is now one of her favourite law school experiences. “Law can really be an art,” she says. “It is very important to communicate a strong confidence and presence in the courtroom. The jury must have confidence in you if they are to believe your client’s version of events.” 

The team was guided by expert coaches from Law’10 – Brian Kolenda of Lenczner Slaght and Julie Lefebvre of Bersenas Jacobson – whose advice was critical to their preparation. “Being able to bounce ideas off Brian and Julia was incredibly helpful to us,” Jennifer says, noting the importance of teamwork in becoming a better lawyer. Another important role was played by Meagan Berlin, Law ’16, who gave a strong performance as a witness that was necessary to persuade the jury of their client’s position.   

Both Stein and Cao highly recommend the OTLA Moot to students interested in litigation. “It’s an incredible opportunity to get some hard-to-come-by experience, and a feel for what it is like to be in a courtroom, in front of a jury, arguing facts and advocating for a client,” says Stein.