Mock Trial Participants Bring Home Awards

Congratulations to Merion Mercy Academy’s Mock Trial teams for their performance at the University of Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Franklin Invitational Mock Trial tournament on January 17-18, 2026. Judged by practicing attorneys as well as Penn Law School students, every year more than 50 elite high school teams from across the country come to Penn’s campus to compete. The tournament is run just like a collegiate tournament, comprising four trials, split between two days. Teams compete twice as plaintiffs and twice as defense. Merion entered three teams and had 40-45 students compete throughout the weekend.

Three Merion Mercy students won individual awards, which are given to the top 10 witnesses and attorneys participating in the respective divisions in the tournament. The awardees are:

• Nicolette Whitehawk '27 - Outstanding Attorney. Nicolette was the only plaintiff's attorney to receive a perfect score.
• Collete Remy '26 - Outstanding Attorney. This was Colette's third Outstanding Attorney award 
• Willow Matthews '28 - Outstanding Witness