Hon. Margaret A. Brennan, (Ret.), senior mediator and arbitrator at ADR Systems, recently served as a mock trial judge for The Chicago School. The students — master’s candidates in forensic psychology — each took the stand and presented expert witness testimony as to a defendant’s competency to stand trial.

In this experiential learning exercise, all students received the same case file on “John Doe” who had a history of mental illness. “The students analyzed the file, drew conclusions and defended their process and findings during the mock trial,” said Judge Brennan. “Expert witnesses must not only analyze and draw conclusions but also communicate effectively and defend their positions on the stand.”

Judge Brennan added, “This was a new experience for me since I was providing feedback to a witness, rather than to an attorney in the typical mock trial. These students were exposed to rigorous questioning from both the prosecution and defense.  I was quite impressed by their abilities and by the growth they demonstrated during the process.”

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Hon. Margaret A. Brennan, (Ret.) served for 19 years in the Circuit Court of Cook County Chancery and Law Divisions and cultivated expansive knowledge of commercial cases such as employment matters involving discrimination and retaliatory discharge, construction and legal malpractice disputes. Colleagues commend Judge Brennan’s intelligence, persuasiveness, remarkable patience, careful case preparation and boundless energy, which contribute significantly to her success as a senior mediator and arbitrator.

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