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Mock Trial Team Captures Howlett Cup
For the second year in a row, the Loyola Academy Mock Trial Team captured first place at the Howlett Cup Competition held at the Richard M. Daley Center in Chicago.
“The trial weekend gave me a chance to try out my advocacy skills in a real court room, and I learned a lot about my style and courtroom manner,” says Owen Baker ’18.
Now in its fourth year, the competition attracts talented teams of students from a number of Chicago’s Catholic high schools including Loyola Academy, St. Ignatius College Prep, Christ the King, Cristo Rey Chicago and Cristo Rey Waukegan. Fenwick and Mt. Carmel joined the league this year.
Since the tournament’s inception in 2014 by Conor Heaton ’96, the winning title has toggled between Loyola Academy (championships in 2014, 2016 and 2017) and St. Ignatius (championship in 2015).
Notably, Marirose Osborne ‘18 won the award for Best Prosecutor in 2017.
Led by head coach Mark A. Javier ’97, a partner at Patton & Ryan, LLC, in Chicago, Loyola’s team includes senior Connor Hayes, juniors Owen Baker, Matthew Brun and Marirose Osborne and sophomores Santiago Roches, Elliott Wenzel and Thomas Wimbiscus Jr.
“The team put in so much work over the months of practices,” says Hayes. “We wouldn’t have won without everyone.”
For students, the competition is a wonderful opportunity to gain experience in front of a real judge and a jury of attorneys and other legal professionals. “When you get to go downtown and present your case in a real courtroom in front of a real judge, it’s almost like getting to play on the pro field,” says Baker. “It’s pretty awesome to be able to compete in the rooms where magic happens everyday.”
“What I learned from this experience is that real life trials are completely different from those shown on TV shows and in movies,” adds Roches.
Loyola graduate parent Erica Dillon and alumni John Ouska '73 and Catherine Howlett '02 assist Javier as coaches. Notably, Catherine Howlett is the daughter of the late Judge Michael J. Howlett Jr. for whom the competition is named.
“Through my experience in mock trial, I have learned not only how an actual trial works, but also how to defend and argue my views,” Hayes reflects.
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