A look at the law

Long-time Rockville Centre resident Jeffrey Goodstein recently co-chaired the 2010 Mock Trial Tournament with fellow attorney Marilyn Genoa. They welcomed more than 500 students, teachers and parents to the Nassau County Supreme Court.

The tournament is a joint initiative sponsored by the Nassau County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and is hosted by the Nassau County Court System. It is coordinated by Caryle Katz, administrator of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Community Relations and Public Education Office, and has grown to be the largest single-county tournament in New York state with more than 40 Nassau County schools participating.

During the tournament, Nassau County justices, judges and attorneys preside over individual trials and provide students with an opportunity to further their understanding of both the content and processes of our legal system. The winning team goes on to compete for the Long Island championship and the right to represent the region in the state championship competition.

Goodstein, who is the principal law clerk to the Hon. Anthony Marano, Administrative Judge of Nassau County, also coordinates the Nassau Courts Summer Intern Program. With the assistance of Suzanne Boyce, the internship provides law students with an opportunity to gain practical skills needed to work in a professional legal setting, introduces them to the ethics and responsibilities required in the practice of law and enables individuals to apply their education in the law, while under the direct supervision of judges and experienced staff.