After two years and five competitions in cyberspace, the ‘Windy City Landing’ saw 20 teams from across the country come together in-person for, what was for many, their first time at an in-person mock trial competition in nearly two years.

From the splendid confines of the Hilton Chicago overlooking Lake Michigan, Empire opened its doors in a new venue for the first time since 2015.

Thanks to the tireless work of Chicago native, Jason Stanford, also the chief architect behind the bid to bring Empire to Chicago, Empire was treated to an authentic Chicago experience. From the famous deep-dish pizza to the Italian Beef and staying only a short walk from Chicago’s Millennium Park, competitors and staff alike were treated to a weekend of iconic Chicago sights and flavors.

“This was something I had been dreaming about for years,” said Stanford. “It was such a thrill and an honor to finally welcome the Empire Family to Chicago.”

Why We Landed

Even as Spring of 2021 came around, the possibility of hosting an in-person competition seemed impossible due to the state of COVID-19. However, as we approached summertime, a real opportunity presented itself to host an Empire Classic in late fall. In fact, not only was there opportunity, but there was also a keen interest from a number of schools.

At Empire, our mission is to “Educate, Connect, and Empower,” and while we strongly believe in the power of our online competitions, we recognize that there is no substitute for the face-to-face.

The pandemic has taken many things from us, but one of the most acute losses has been the opportunity for students to socialize, learn, and work together in physical settings. Some of the greatest lessons mock trial provides are learning how to interact with other people; how to read a room; and how to communicate an idea with more than just words. While collaboration in an online setting will continue to be important, collaboration in offline environments is still an inevitable part of our students’ futures. Knowing that the last two years have seen so many important opportunities to hone these collaboration skills slip by, it was important that we give students a chance to enjoy the Empire Experience that so many before them have benefitted from and been impacted by.

Dara Murphy, coach of Empire legend Trinity Pacific Christian School, put it this way:

“We are so grateful for this tournament—the only in-person mock trial competition we’ve had since the beginning of COVID (or that we’ll have for the foreseeable future)! It was wonderful to be able to see other competitors and coaches face to face (or at least mask to mask).”

What Was New

While Empire would be returning to the real world, it was going to look very different from previous competitions.

For the first time ever, we ran the entire competition – including trials and ceremonies – from the competition hotel. Instead of buses to courthouses, students instead wandered downstairs from their rooms to hotel conference rooms set for trials.

Empire Chicago saw a powerful debut of Empire’s competition management software, PROcess, in managing both competitive and administrative aspects of the tournament. Thanks to updates made over the online hiatus and a generous loan of laptops by Niles West High School, Empire Chicago ran a truly paperless tab room. Judges and jurors submitted feedback online, allowing teams to instantly view trial comments and scores as they litigated their way through the weekend. From round pairings to competition results, everything was in the cloud and available right on participants’ cell phones!

*Viran, joining remotely via Zoom link from the Empire Sydney office*

For Director of Competition Operations, Viran Weeresekera, the paperless tab was a dream come true:

“At Empire Chicago we were able to debut a completely paperless, electronic tab room, using our PROcess tabulation system, laptops for our judges, and site-wide wireless internet for our participants. Aside from the benefits of instant, computer-controlled tabulation, this gave everyone at the competition instant access to scores, comprehensive feedback from all of their judges, and up-to-the-minute information on the competition schedule”

Finally, we debuted in-person live streaming. Meaning, friends and family could easily watch their students compete, from the comfort of their own homes. Who said we couldn’t bring some of our best online innovations to the (physical) courtroom?!

Staying COVID-Safe

Ensuring the safety of everyone in the Empire Family was Empire’s number one priority when planning Empire Chicago.

“Parents and school districts entrust us with their students, which is a responsibility that we take very seriously,” said Justin Matarrese, Empire’s Executive Director. “In a COVID world, that meant we needed to implement a number of precautions to keep our students as safe as possible.”

Through consultation with an independent occupational and environmental health and safety expert, as well as industrial hygienists at the City of Chicago, Empire created a safety plan for the competition.

First, we made sure it was safe for our competitors to enter the competition venue.

Every participant at the competition – be it a coach, competitor, or chaperone – was either vaccinated or reported a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the competition. Led by Christian Mancino, Empire reviewed each participant’s documentation and gave all approved attendees a red Empire Chicago wristband to wear throughout the competition.

Once they arrived, we kept them in the same venue and prioritized COVID mitigation strategies, like masking and distancing.

Leading up to Chicago, the organization spent a lot of time researching mask efficacy. If participants were required to mask (which they were, according to the City of Chicago), then Empire wanted to make sure the masks were comfortable and doing their job of preventing potential COVID transmission. The organization required all participants to wear Empire issued masks, which were carefully designed. “Masks that aren’t worn properly and aren’t thick enough, just aren’t effective,” said Emily Shapiro, an Empire staffer that researched the issue of mask efficacy. “So, we made sure to prioritize safety and comfort.”

While participants were understandably hesitant about having to wear an unfamiliar mask for the entire weekend, these concerns quickly evaporated once they tried masks on and realized how incredibly comfortable they were.

Finally, teams were supplied with thermometers and required to submit health declarations prior to each round and each Empire event certifying that no student was exhibiting COVID symptoms. Teams were also treated as separate pods and kept clear from each other on opposite sides of the courtroom, as well as seated 6 feet apart at the opening and closing ceremonies. Thanks to our partnership with the Hilton Chicago, we were also able to ensure that teams roomed together in single blocks separately from other teams.

Our dedicated Empire Medical Consultant was on hand to provide advice on medical issues when they arose.

*The Guest Witness preparation format was also adjusted to allow competitors to safely distance from students from other teams.*

The Empire Special

Despite so much unfamiliar territory, it was, in many ways, a tried and true formula that produced a weekend to remember. Where most Empire Classic competitions require at least a year of planning, 2021’s main event was put on with just 3 months’ notice. A staff of our most experienced Blue Shirts, combined with several local Niles West alum, came together to equip Empire with the ideal blend of youth and experience.

For years, the Empire Exchange has been a mainstay of Empire events, offering students a chance to meet and connect with their fellow competitors before the trials begin. Teams were seated a safe six feet apart, and movement was closely supervised by Empire staff, including the Empire Medical Consultant.

Tracy Hancock, coach of Montgomery Bell Academy (TN) appreciated the opportunity for students to come together after such a long hiatus:

It gave our students a much-needed return to in-person mock trial for the first time in nearly two years, while also prioritizing student safety during the ongoing pandemic. Everyone at MBA applauds the hard work of the Empire staff who made the event possible, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it after our extended foray into virtual mock trial.

Outcome

When it came time for competition, Empire Chicago featured a challenging field: a host of schools with excellent competitive pedigree and strong records from the online season. But ultimately, there could only be one Empire Champion.

The inaugural Empire Chicago Championship Round was contested by the two division winners: Empire juggernauts, Faith Lutheran High School (NV) and Roman Catholic High School (PA). The Ceremonial Courtroom at Chicago Kent played host to one of the tightest finals in recent memory.

With a final score of five ballots to four – including four ballots decided by less than three points, and one ballot decided by a single point – it was the team from Nevada who claimed a win by the barest of margins, capturing their first ever Empire crown.

Whet Smith, coach of the winning team from Faith Lutheran, was certain of the value and impact that Empire Chicago had on his students:

“It has been difficult these last two years helping students with the uncertainty that they might not be able to compete in mock trial, and then adjusting to the online environment. Empire’s commitment to giving students an amazing experience anyhow has meant the absolute world for these kids.

Empire is tremendously grateful for the hard work and contributions of all of our coaches, staff, volunteers, and partners in delivering a wonderful season. Without their incredible efforts in the weeks and months approaching the competition, Empire might still be orbiting in Cyberspace. We look forward to seeing many more of our teams in Season 2022!