The University School of Law mock trial team has a legacy of victories.

With mock trial tournaments dating back to 1979, the team has won multiple national championships, including the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition in 2006.

A mock trial features a team of two attorneys and two witnesses competing against two attorneys and two witnesses from another school, said Chase Samples, a third-year law student from Cumming. Samples serves as vice chairman of the Mock Trial Executive Board.

Preparation for mock trials begins two to three months in advance. The teams receive a set of case materials for the scenario, including the plaintiff’s complaint, witness depositions and defendant’s answer.

The job of the participants lies in constructing an argument. The law school has five or six mock trial teams, said Samples. Each four- to six-member team attends different tournaments throughout the year.

This weekend, a team competed in Buffalo, N.Y., for the annual Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Tournament. Participants included third-year law students Rachel Horton and John Jett. The winners were undetermined at press time.

A team will compete next weekend in the William Daniel National Invitation Tournament in Atlanta. Invitations are extended to 20 law schools. Adam Hebbard, a third year law student from Roswell, will compete.

“We worked really hard to prepare,” he said. “We look forward to going out and doing the best that we can.”

The University hosts the Regional Mock Trial Competition in February.

“Being involved in the mock trial program is a lot of fun,” said Samples. “For me, it’s a good way to take out some of the stress associated with law school classes while becoming a more effective advocate.”