| For Immediate Release February 8, 2006 |
Contact: | Susan Kang Schroeder Deputy District Attorney (714) 347-8408 Office (714) 292-2718 Cell |
ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE TO BE HONORED AS “LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR” BY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOUNDATION OF ORANGE COUNTY FOR SECOND YEAR RUNNING
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) will be honored as Law Firm of the Year by the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) of Orange County for the second year in a row at the organization’s annual Mock Trial Awards Luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel in Orange, on Friday, February 10, 2006 at 11:30 a.m.
CRF recognizes the extraordinary volunteer support shown by the OCDA in supporting Orange County high school students who compete in the nationwide Mock Trial Program. The Mock Trial Program allows students to play the roles of prosecutors, defense attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs, and court clerks in a fictional criminal case against a defendant. The trial competitions occur repeatedly from early November to mid-December. Different high schools compete against each other each week in real courtrooms at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana. This year’s case involved a fictional murder by a Hollywood director of his actress-wife.
The OCDA “signed up scorers for every round, had multiple volunteers for each round, and worked to recruit scorekeepers from throughout the legal community,” said Shara Beral Witkin, President of the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County.
Almost two dozen deputy district attorneys volunteered as coaches, scorekeepers, and judges on weekends, after work, and on days off, often for several months. “I’m honored that the hard-working members of my Office make time to give back to their communities and to young people throughout Orange County,” said District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. “The parents and families of these high school students should be proud of the hard work of these determined competitors. These students represent what is great about our young people and represent our nation’s future.”
Deputy District Attorney Scott Steiner is among those receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award.
###