By Samantha Scott ’27

The SU national mock trial team and mock trial program, founded by Shenandoah alum Jeff L. Harding ’81, J.D., has built quite the resume for having started just three short years ago. 

The SU national mock trial team is one of over 800 teams representing colleges and universities across the country that compete in the National Conference. The team is a member of the American Mock Trial Association. Every year, all participating universities receive the exact same case and competitions are held throughout the country until one team wins the national championship. 

The SU national mock trial team has been invited to the regional tournament every year since its inception. Regionals are held each February, while the national tournament concludes in April. 

Invitationals are held starting in August and the teams use these to prepare for the regionals, Dr. Harding said. A recent, high-achieving victory for Shenandoah’s squad occurred in 2025, when the team traveled to Florida State University’s College of Law in Tallahassee, Florida, and defeated one of FSU’s teams. The team’s previous wins, highlighted by The Winchester Star, included its 2024 victory against George Mason University. 

Since the birth of the program, many students who have been involved in Shenandoah’s mock trial program have moved on to law school after completing their undergraduate studies at Shenandoah. According to Harding, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and attorney with over 40 years of legal experience, Shenandoah is now producing law students at a historic rate. 

Harding explained the significance of this program, stating, “With the creation of the transformational Trial Advocacy courses and mock trial program, SU now has a realistic path for students to pursue law school. All SU students, regardless of their school or major, will benefit from this program. We help them with internships, applications, LSAT (Law School Admission Test), and beneficial curriculum.”

Shenandoah University alum Bevin Taylor ’25, who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting, said her experience with Shenandoah University’s mock trial program inspired her to pursue a career in law. Taylor is now pursuing a law degree from George Mason University.

I came to Shenandoah as an acting major with an interest in law, but joining mock trial solidified that interest and gave me the confidence and skills to truly commit to pursuing it. SU mock trial gave me an incredible foundation going into law school, not only in public speaking and thinking on my feet, but in really learning the law, building arguments, working with evidence, and telling a persuasive story. I still rely on those skills today as a law clerk and as a member of the Moot Court Board and the Trial Advocacy Association at my law school. I am so thankful for mock trial and Jeff Harding!”

Bevin Taylor ’25

Another Shenandoah alum, Will Outten ’26, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Sport Management, expressed his gratitude for the program. 

The mock trial program gave me a great head start heading into law school. The whole experience — digesting cases, examining evidence, thinking on my feet — has applied since day one. Sarge (Professor Harding) also helped me make great connections that I was able to lean on as I started this journey into law school.”

Will Outten ’26

Outten followed the law and legal systems (pre-law) program at SU and is currently studying for his post-graduate law degree at Regent University. 

To get involved in mock trial, students must take Trial Advocacy I (CJ-280). Following CJ-280, students can take Trial Advocacy II (CJ-480) and then move to Trial Advocacy III (CJ-481). In order to be considered for the competition team, students must complete CJ-280. Students involved in mock trial who are on the pre-law track and pursuing a minor in law and legal systems (such as Outten) will earn elective credits to support their minor. 

Outside the classroom, the competition team meets about three times a week. After the initial meetings and groups are formed, the schedule is determined based on everyone’s availability.

Students pursuing majors – or considering career paths – in law, criminal justice, criminology, and acting should greatly consider mock trial, Harding said. The program forces students out of their comfort zones, promotes confidence, and gives the ability to practice public speaking. There are no quizzes or exams in the three Trial Advocacy courses. Instead, there is a midterm and a final. Students are expected to try a murder case, from start to finish, with accuracy.

In a recent class, students were in the process of covering a mock trial inspired by the Alec Baldwin case. Students learned how to conduct direct examinations, with one student portraying the prosecutor and another student playing the witness/detective. The attention to detail was apparent, as Harding, playing the role of the presiding judge, swore both the prosecutor and witness in, and gave feedback along the way. The scene was redone until no mistakes were made. Students playing their roles had the opportunity to perfect their part, while the “jurors” – played by a group of students in the class –  had the opportunity to learn Harding’s expectations, which are to make the students the best they can be.

“The students love the program,” Harding said “Among the skills they learn and refine are thinking on their feet; clear speaking and writing; confidence; research; the court process; legal analysis; the art of both written and oral advocacy/argument; crimes and civil causes of action; developing skills working within their law firms (groups); conflicts; penalties/damages; focused preparation; expert witnesses/testimony; evidence; objections; handling police/law enforcement (on and off the witness stand); what a lawyer/judge really does; and, of course, how prepare for and try a case in the courtroom, from pretrial matters and opening statements through closing arguments. The program, beneficial to any student and their academics, has been remarkable. The many students from the program now attending law school, and thriving there, have now placed SU on this map. Among the myriad of examples of this is an SU graduate who is a second year law student (2L)  at UVA Law, ranked as one of the top five law schools in the country. We are making a difference!”

Interested in joining Shenandoah’s mock trial program? Contact Harding at foq92@su.edu or jeff@jeffhardinglaw.com.