My mock trial centered around a prison correctional officer who claimed that he had been fired from his job as a result of HIV discrimination. The prison warden claimed that he had been fired for poor performance.

The trial taught me a great deal about the legal justice system, and it provided valuable lessons about AIDS, which at the time was surrounded by many myths.

Representing the plaintiff, my teammates and I dug in our heels, practicing on evenings and weekends. With encouragement and assistance from our mentor law firm and our teachers, we immersed ourselves in our respective roles.

Playing the role of a lawyer, I conducted the direct examination of the plaintiff and another key witness. I helped to prepare the witnesses thoroughly, who in turn put on masterful performances.

The process helped me to understand more fully the value of teamwork, and the rewards associated with hard work. Most importantly, the mock trial gave me a stage I never thought possible. There I was, standing and arguing before a real judge in an actual courtroom. It was invigorating.

I soon learned that my team had scored one of the two highest scores in the tournament and would participate in a championship trial. After an additional intense week of preparation, we went up against the other finalist team.

At the end, the judge announced that my team had prevailed on the merits and had scored the higher points. Winning the mock trial was the proudest moment of my young life.

The entire Street Law experience awaked in me a spirit that had previously been asleep – the sense that I could become a lawyer. At the time, my extended family had not produced any college graduates and my role models did not include lawyers or any other professionals of my skin color. I had no idea what lawyers did, or that I could join their ranks.

It was Street Law and the mock trial that brought that lofty world down to my level. Interacting with lawyers and visiting and spending time at a firm helped to demystify the world of lawyers, and made it all appear possible. The Street Law course represented a genuine turning point in my life.