McLaughlin Trial Advocacy Workshop Enlists Undergraduate Students as Jurors in Mock Trials Held at U.S. District Court
Friday, February 13, 2026
The Honorable Michael Shipp, pictured with law students after successful completion of their trial along with undergraduate student jurors.
The Denis F. McLaughlin Advanced Trial Advocacy Workshop culminated on January 23, 2026, with eight live mock trials held before U.S. District Court Judges for the District of New Jersey in Newark. The capstone event brought together Seton Hall Law students, faculty, federal judges and nearly 30 undergraduate students who served as jurors. The course is endowed by O’Toole Scrivo, a firm founded by two prominent alumni of the School of Law, Kevin O’Toole and Thomas P. Scrivo.
The workshop is taught as an intensive course over three weeks at the start of each new year by its namesake, Professor Denis McLaughlin and colleagues Professor Jacob Elberg, associate director of the program and professor of law and Professor Jamie Pukl-Werbel, assistant provost for faculty affairs and associate professor of law. Designed to immerse law students in the realities of trial practice, the course builds toward the final simulated trials, where participants apply advocacy skills developed throughout the intersession program. This year, an impressive eight federal judges appointed to the United States District Court of New Jersey volunteered their time to preside over the trial cases. These included sitting judges The Honorable Jessica S. Allen, The Honorable José R. Almonte, The Honorable Madeline Cox Arleo, The Honorable Tonianne J. Bongiovanni, The Honorable James B. Clark, III, The Honorable André M. Espinosa, The Honorable Brian R. Martinotti and The Honorable Michael A. Shipp.
Law student Blaise Panzini, serving as counsel for the defendant in the case, appeals to the undergraduate student jurors.
The trials marked the culmination of weeks of intensive instruction and experiential learning. As a signature component of the McLaughlin Workshop, the event reflects Seton Hall’s commitment to experiential education and cross-campus collaboration, benefiting both law students honing their courtroom skills and undergraduates exploring future goals in law and related fields.
Before the trials, undergraduate jurors completed a brief orientation outlining the purpose of jury service, key learning objectives and best practices for effective participation in jury deliberations. Nearly 30 undergraduates were recruited through a collaboration with the Pre-Professional Advising Center and Madelyn Ferrans, J.D., pre-law advisor, offering students interested in law and related fields a rare opportunity to engage directly in the judicial process.
Student jurors listen to the closing remarks offered by law student Peter Arleo.
Following the simulations, undergraduate jurors had the opportunity to engage with both the presiding federal judges and the student attorneys. These interactions included receiving feedback, sharing their own perspectives from jury deliberations and participating in informal conversations that allowed for networking and mentorship. The experience provided students with valuable insight into legal education, courtroom advocacy and potential pathways toward careers in the legal profession. “The opportunity to act as a juror in a real courthouse with a real judge was surreal. The judge even stopped the trial a few times for educational purposes and shared some of her own real experiences as a judge,” shared Ayden Hepp, ’30, a dual degree pre-law student at the Stillman School for Business. “This was an extremely unique and fun opportunity, one in which I got to learn more about the role of a juror, attorney and judge. I am very grateful for the educational opportunity provided by Seton Hall Law.”
Undergraduate student jurors have expressed how impactful this opportunity has been as they prepare to pursue professional education as law students in the future. Xiomara Olvera Carrion, ‘28, who is studying international relations and diplomacy, shared, “my experience at the McLaughlin workshop was incredible… afterwards, the law students were more than willing to answer questions and exchange contact info. This was truly such an amazing experience and I loved every bit of it!" Carlee Cunha, ’28, a political science and philosophy major, reflected that it was, “incredibly eye-opening... you get to see the culmination of law students' hard work in their program and learn alongside them as they showcase what they have learned… If given the chance, I would absolutely take part again.”
Fortunately, Carlee and her peers will have the opportunity to participate in the course as the trial will run again in early 2027. The School of Law, Office of the Provost and Pre-Professional Advising Center are proud to continue to grow this collaboration, offering premier experiential learning opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students at Seton Hall.
Categories: Law
