Los Angeles Office Hosts Madison Elementary School in Eighth Annual Mock Trial and Culmination of Pen Pal Program

LOS ANGELES — Hunton & Williams LLP and Madison Elementary School today held a mock trial in the case of the Big Bad Wolf v. Curly Pig to decide the fate of the notorious storybook character.

The proceedings are part of Hunton & Williams’ annual pen pal program between the law firm and the Los Angeles Unified School District elementary school that culminates with a mock trial held at the firm’s offices. This is the eighth year the law firm has participated in the program, and the sixth year the program has included students from Madison Elementary.

“We know how important hands-on learning and positive interactions are for students, and are pleased to hold the trial in our office, and participate in this great program year after year,” said Ann Marie Mortimer, managing partner of Hunton & Williams Los Angeles office.

Madison Elementary School students will serve as jurors, determining the guilt or innocence of the Big Bad Wolf, and Hunton & Williams’ partners, associates and staff will serve as attorneys, expert witnesses, judge and bailiff on the case.

Since the start of the school year, Hunton & Williams lawyers and staff have interacted as pen pals with teacher Kimberly Klopfer’s gifted fourth grade class. The program teams up lawyers with local students who have had little exposure to the legal profession. Madison Elementary’ s student population is 98 percent Hispanic, and 49 percent of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch. The program is a key component of the teacher’s curriculum and the students writing and computer skills program.

“There is no substitute for applied learning,” said Ms. Klopfer. “The kids are being exposed to the legal system in a captivating and fun way, and it is a perfect complement to our curriculum where we have been studying persuasive writing skills.”

The highlight of the year-long program is a field trip to the Los Angeles office of Hunton & Williams, where students meet with their pen pals from the firm, participate in a pizza party and serve as jurors for the Big Bad Wolf’s mock trial. The students have been enthusiastic participants, enclosing pictures in their letters and inviting their pen pals to visit their classroom, where they participated in several wide-ranging question-and-answer sessions.