Larry McCord and Associates LLC Provides High School Students the Opportunity to Try a Criminal Case

April 9, 2012 - PRLog -- The law office of Larry McCord and Associates LLC has announced that a mock trial competition will take place on April 25 at the Wyandanch High School auditorium. The competition begins at 3 p.m. and is being presented by Dr. Pless M. Dickerson, Superintendent of Schools, Wyandanch School District. The school is located at 54 W. 32nd Street in Wyandanch.

Two teams of six students each will try the case of People v. P.J. Long. The case involves the assault of a young woman in the parking lot of a hip-hop club. The victim and her friend claimed they saw the assailant singing a rap song before the assault and heard the song again while the victim was being beaten by a blunt instrument. Her friend claimed that he was able to identify the attacker by the design on the back of the assailant’s jacket, although he could not see the attacker’s face.

One team will consist of students portraying the victim, the victim’s friend, the arresting police officer and the prosecution. The other team of students will portray the defendant, the defendant’s friend, the nightclub owner, and the defense. Teams will be judged on their performance and overall professionalism, including preparedness, civility, ethics and adherence to the rules. Larry McCord and Associates will provide $1,200 in prizes for the competition.

These students who will be participating in the mock trial competition are currently enrolled in Mr. McCord’s Business Law class at Dowling College as part of a bridge program between Wyandanch High School and Dowling College. Mr. McCord was the Founding President of the Wyandanch High School Parent Teacher Organization and has been one of its executive board members for the past 10 years.

Now in its 31st year, the New York State High School Mock Trial Tournament teaches high school students basic trial practice skills and how to conduct direct and cross examinations, present opening and closing statements, think on their feet and learn the dynamics of a courtroom. It is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Law, Youth and Citizenship and The New York Bar Foundation.

“We are proud to be involved with the mock trial competition here at Wyandanch High School,” Larry J. McCord, Managing Partner, Law Offices of Larry McCord and Associates, said. “Many young people do not have the opportunity to see first hand how the legal process works until they attend law school. This competition will expose these students to the components of a trial as they learn how to prepare arguments in cases such as these.”

Mr. McCord concentrates his practice in education law, dealing with students’ and teachers’ rights and parental rights. He also represents parents and students with school suspensions, staff members at superintendent (3214) hearings and clients at Child Support Enforcement (CSE) and Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) cases. He is also a certified school teacher and served as a personnel committee chairman of a local school district, school board president, district attendance teacher and hearing officer.

For more information, call (631) 643-3084 or visit www.mccordandassoc.com.

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About Larry McCord and Associates LLC

The law office of Larry McCord and Associates LLC is located on Long Island. The firm specializes in Matrimonial Law, Family Law, Education Law, and Immigration Law. Larry McCord and Associates has dedicated and professional attorneys who obtain outstanding results for its clients. Its attorneys recognize that it is their professional obligation to be benevolent yet ardent in representing their clients, both in and out of the courtroom. For more information, call (631) 643-3084 or visit www.mccordandassoc.com.