Mentoring National Mock Trial and Mediation and Restorative Justice Competitions
During the implementation of the New Advocates program, ABA ROLI Mexico hosted the largest annual National Mock Trial Competition and National Mediation and Restorative Justice Competition in Mexico. These competitions were among the most prestigious of their kind in the country, with approximately 47 law schools from 24 states participating in these competitions. In fact, many former competition participants have successfully secured work in state government agencies involved in the criminal justice system. In 2019, 926 law students and faculty participated in ABA ROLI’s national mock trial competition, and 750 law students and faculty participated in the national mediation competition.
To build on the value that participation in ABA ROLI’s competitions added to law students’ career trajectories, participating students received fellowship and study tour opportunities to learn about the criminal justice system in the United States. For example, the winners of ABA ROLI’s competitions in 2019 traveled to San Diego, California and Washington, DC for a comparative and practical experience of the United States’ criminal justice system and the relevant institutions involved in criminal investigations and proceedings.
ABA ROLI now focuses on providing mentorship to improve the capacity of law schools, civil society organizations, and institutions to conduct these competitions. The Mexico Law Student program provides the beneficiaries of this activity with ABA ROLI’s Manual on Best Practices in Teaching Oral Litigation, sample cases, and scoresheets for the organization of these competitions.
Bolstering Competencies for Legal Instructors’ and Professionals
ABA ROLI holds training sessions and workshops on trial advocacy, mediation, and negotiation, as well as restorative justice for law students and professors in different geographic regions of Mexico. The training of trainers’ (ToT) workshops engage law professors and academic advisors on mock trial and mediation techniques and how to host competitions. The program utilizes a learning-by-doing teaching model to ensure that the future operators of the criminal justice system are equipped with the necessary practical skills required by the accusatorial system.
Enhancing Standards and Best Practices for Law School Competitions
To promote sustainability throughout the program, legal education institutions receive planning guidance as they develop local mock trial and mediation competitions. Through the National Alliance for Oral Litigation Competitions, we continue to work in improving standards and establishing best practices for law school competitions. Additionally, the program provides mentorship to teach law schools and CSOs how to host competitions independently.
Strengthening the Justice Section Workforce
Through the New Advocates program, ABA ROLI hosted job fairs and fostered connections with prosecutors’ offices for law students who participate in our Mexico program. The job fairs paved a pathway for good practices, and the effectiveness of the New Criminal Justice System (NCJS). The NCJS was created under Mexico’s constitutional reform that shifted the criminal justice system from inquisitorial to accusatorial. Students’ experiences with ABA ROLI’s program ensures they are equipped with the appropriate skills to support the NCJS. During the National Competitions under the New Advocates program, the participants had the opportunity to be personally introduced to criminal justice sector entities, which helped them liaise with, learn from, and learn about practicing litigators and mediators. In 2019, ABA ROLI held five job fairs and meetings with prosecutors’ offices, where we connected eighty-seven students with employers representing prosecutors’ offices, the public defense service, the judiciary, government agencies, and private employers at the state and federal level.
Currently, ABA ROLI plays a role as an interlocutor between the graduates and the institutions of the justice sector for the holding of available job interviews. Students receive interview preparation and help with creating their CVs. Additionally, ABA ROLI maps critical sector jobs available to graduates of the program and creates job banks that are developed according to each job vacancy.
Strengthening Trial Advocacy and Oral Litigation Skills
A decade ago, the labor law reform in Mexico transitioned from written to oral argumentation, thus, ABA ROLI works to train law students and professionals in oral litigation skills and expertise. Participants gain expertise in the technical use of legal argumentation, rebuttal, and litigation skills to confront the opposing party's legal strategy. The training incorporates skills required by the relevant knowledge standard by CONOCER, the Mexican Knowledge Certification Agency, so that officials can pass those exams and receive their skills certificates.
