Law Day is a long standing tradition at Bay Shore High School, hosted each year by the Social Studies department. This event brings together over 100 students who compete in a courtroom style battle, showcasing their knowledge, preparation and arguing skills. The day kicked off in the auditorium where all the teams came together and final adjustments to the competition schedule were made. After attendance, students were sent off to present their cases in front of judges made up of teachers, judges and lawyers.
Some students started preparing weeks ahead of time, and senior Tate Goldrich was definitely one of them.
“We prepared by going on calls together. Being on the mock trial team, I knew what it was going to take to win. We worked on our openings, closings, directs, and crosses,” said Goldrich. “Having known each other since 8th grade, that worked in our favor because we knew we worked very well together. “
After a long day of tough competition, the winners of the 2025 Law Day are Atticus Muuss, Tate Goldrich, and Emma Buckley. All three showed amazing skill, confidence, and quick thinking. It wasn’t easy, but their hard work really paid off. The day is fun but also comes with its challenges where you need to come up with answers on the spot to help the team.
Junior Testimony Aladegboungbe came in third place. She presented her case alongside her teammates, sophomores Madison Agosto and Payton Kelly.
“It was a really fun day but it was also challenging because we also had to brainstorm things on the spot, and prepare early for things, and this is something I am looking forward to next year,” said Testimony Aladegboungbe.
One of the teachers from the Social Studies department and coach for the mock trial team, John Selzer, assisted in supervising the event.
“All of the cases that I saw were fantastic. There are groups that are highly competitive, and also groups that came in just looking to have fun and learn how to perform a mock trial,” Selzer said. “This building is packed with talented students. What makes it so great is that there are so many different kinds of talents. To see these teams come together and represent the different strengths they have into a cohesive team working toward a common goal, it’s just magical and fun to watch.”
Social studies teacher Jeanne-Marie Marziliano planned and ran the event, ensuring everything went smoothly. From organizing the schedule to supporting the students throughout the day, her effort made Law Day possible.
Law Day gives students a unique opportunity to step into the shoes of real lawyers and see what it’s like to defend a case and challenge arguments, providing students with invaluable experience. More than developing their skills in the courtroom, students can walk away from the event understanding more of what is required of those who hope to work in the legal field. Just as William Wexler, a lawyer who came in to help judge the trials, explained, students have to be willing to work hard to become a lawyer.
“You have to dedicate yourself to the profession. It is a lot of work, and nothing in life comes easy,” said Wexler.
