Roslyn firm creates mock courtroom for clients, attorneys who prepare for trial

Listen to this article

A Roslyn-based law firm has created an in-house mock courtroom, so clients and attorneys can prepare onsite for trials. Benvenuto & Gaujean has created the mock courtroom to provide an “immersive trial experience,” the law firm said in a news release.

“Arguing a case and being a witness during trial proceedings is very different than discussing the same facts in someone’s home or personal office where they are comfortable,” Max Gaujean, senior trial attorney and managing attorney at Benvenuto & Gaujean, said in a news release about the new mock courtroom.

“Doing the same in a courtroom setting is very revealing in terms of both how our clients will fare and how our attorneys need to approach the case,” Gaujean added. “We’ve already seen immense value in having access to this right within our offices.”

The space was designed with courtroom details in mind, from the judge’s bench to the witness stand to the jury area, in order to simulate an authentic courtroom, according to the firm. The space allows clients to better prepare for “the riggers and unpredictability” of an actual trial, the firm said. It also helps attorneys glean insights on their presentations, how their clients fare as witnesses, and tweak defense strategies as necessary.

Because it is equipped with video and audio recording capabilities, the mock courtroom also provides opportunities for participants to review and assess footage to “identify areas for improvement,” according to the news release.

“We are starting slowly but our goal is to use the mock courtroom for all the cases we bring to court,” Thomas Benvenuto, senior trial attorney and managing attorney of Benvenuto & Gaujean, said in the news release.

“The more we use it, the more we appreciate its effectiveness in achieving better outcomes for our clients,” Benvenuto said.