[lawmajordonors] Encouraging Email

[Leonard, J. Rich]

Friends,

I am sharing this email we received about the performance of our trial team in the Tournament of Champions.  As you may recall, we made it undefeated through the preliminary rounds to the final four, but lost to Berkeley (who won it all) on split ballots in the semifinal round.  I hope it brightens your day as much as it has mine.

RL

From: MacArthur, Diane (USAILN) <Diane.MacArthur at usdoj.gov<mailto:Diane.MacArthur at usdoj.gov>>
Sent: Tuesday, November 9, 2021 4:57 PM
To: Terry, Tatiana M.
Subject: Recent Tournament of Champions Competition

Dear Professor Terry:

I was the presiding judge in Preliminary Round Four of the Tournament of Champions 2021, a trial advocacy competition conducted virtually this past week and weekend. Two of your students, Miriam Shepherd and Michael Vitale, presented the prosecution side of the trial with which I was involved. I did not find out the results of the competition, and the school affiliation of the teams, until yesterday. I write to you now to let you know how highly I thought of the advocacy and professionalism of Ms. Shepherd and Mr. Vitale and how much I was impressed by them.
I am a prosecutor in real life. I note my position because it has given me a good view of what it takes to be an exceptional, and successful, courtroom advocate. Ms. Shepherd and Mr. Vitale both have what it takes. They were spontaneous, rolled with the punches, adapted to changes, accepted my rulings, and picked up on the theories of their opponent and turned them to their advantage. Ms. Shepherd and Mr. Vitale were each passionate in their jury addresses and their cross-examinations, in particular, were spot on. They were respectful and civil and always above-board.

I also write because, as a former law student participant in trial competitions, I have been in Ms. Shepherd's and Mr. Vitale's shoes. I know that the outcome of the competition may not have been as Ms. Shepherd and Mr. Vitale wanted it to be and worked so hard to achieve. But, to me, what I have learned over time, is that it is the person, their talent, and how they conduct themselves that are the truer barometers of future success. Few will remember which team or school won this competition. What matters, and what I will remember, is the talent of Ms. Shepherd and Mr. Vitale, and the quality of their performance before me.

Thank you for the opportunity to meet Ms. Shepherd and Mr. Vitale during this trial competition. They are a credit to your school, their coaches, and to your trial advocacy program.

Diane MacArthur



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