WilmU Law Students Mentor Local High Schoolers

Top row: Hannah Goldston and Britton Ody. Bottom row: Dalton Lahti and Andrea Rothbart.

Opening statements, closing arguments, direct and cross examinations — students tackled all those and more at a recent Mock Trial Boot Camp, where J.D. candidates from Wilmington University School of Law helped local teens develop their talents. 

“It was very endearing to see these law school students encourage my high school students,” says Tami Soltow, J.D., who practiced law before teaching at Concord High School in New Castle County. “It’s just transformative.” 

Her team won two of their four rounds at the 2025 Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition, scoring “a wonderful improvement from last year.” Three Concord High School students earned individual awards. 

“That boot camp was, in essence, hundreds of hours of information in a weekend,” Soltow says. “It was an immeasurable experience.” 

She credits WilmU Law’s Veronica Finkelstein, an associate professor who volunteers with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). 

“Veronica has been a godsend to this team,” says fellow Concord High School teacher Jennifer McKelvey. “Her support, knowledge and excellence in teaching the law concepts has been a tremendous contribution to the team.” 

“We want the law school to be a resource not just for our own law students but for lawyers in the community and for other members of the community, including local area high schools,” Professor Finkelstein says. “Our dean, Phillip Closius, has been super supportive of advocacy events like this.” 

Besides preparing high schoolers, the boot camp also helped laz555 her law students refine their skills before taking part in the American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition regional tournament in Philadelphia. 

“I believe that teaching students is the best way to learn. It may sound backwards, but being able to effectively communicate information to others reinforces your understanding of the material,” says WilmU Law student Britton Ody. “In the end, it’s truly a mutually beneficial experience for everyone, and it’s nice to see younger students excited to learn about the law.” 

Some of those high schoolers could be future WilmU Wildcats. 

“Maybe one day they’ll be sitting in that same classroom where we had boot camp, taking a law school class,” Professor Finkelstein says. “That would be awesome.”