Mock Trial Coaches

Elizabeth Boals

 

Elizabeth Boals is the Assistant Dean for Online and Part-time Programs.  She began as the Assistant Director of the Trial Advocacy Program in 2005 and became the Program's Associate Director in 2009. Her areas of specialization include: Criminal and Civil Trial Advocacy, Criminal Law and Procedure, and Evidence.

Before joining the faculty at WCL, Professor Boals defended the U.S. Department of Commerce on alleged violations of Title VII of the Civil RIghts Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. She was a partner at Lay, Ippolito and Dillard, PLLC, and, prior to that, an attorney at Zwerdling, Paul, Leibig, Kahn, Thompson & Wolly, P.C

 

Aimee Ghosh

 

Aimee Ghosh is an associate at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in the law firm’s Public Policy practice and is based in the Washington, DC office. She focuses her practice on global security, cyber security, and government affairs, with an emphasis on assisting companies in obtaining liability protections under the SAFETY Act. Aimee advises clients on state, federal,  and industry compliance obligations and best practices with respect to physical and cyber security planning, incident response, and recovery, as well as liability mitigation strategies in the event of a serious physical or cyber incident. Aimee also represents clients on regulatory and government affairs before the Department of Homeland Security and Congress. In addition to her work on security issues, Aimee provides legal and advocacy advice to national organizations navigating state and local regulations across the country. She also has a background in political law.

 

Yuki Haraguchi

 

Yuki is an associate at Paxton Law Group, a boutique litigation firm based in Washington, DC. His practice focuses primarily on commercial and government contracts disputes, and he is a member of the litigation division's rapid reaction team. He is also relied upon as an in-house expert on matters of trial evidence, admissibility and pleading of causes of action. Additionally, he is involved in the firm's corporate transactions and immigration practice.

Outside of his role at Paxton Law Group, he is actively involved in the DC startup community as an advisor to several tech startups and a renewable energy company. He is an entrepreneur himself with experience starting and managing small businesses.

Brittany Keil

 

In May 2006, Ms. Keil started as a line attorney in the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia in the Criminal Section of the Public Safety Division. She prosecuted quality of life, traffic, impaired driving and unregistered firearm offenses. After a year in that section, she moved to the Juvenile Section, where she prosecuted juveniles in D.C. for all types of misdemeanors and felonies, including violent crimes such as robberies, carjackings and omicides. In May 2012, she became the Assistant Chief of the Criminal Section, where she supervised attorneys and staff, as well as advising on policy and procedural decisions. In September 2015, she left the Office of the Attorney General.

Ms. Keil coached mock trial for Georgetown Law from Fall 2006 until 2011, when she joined the Trial Advocacy Program at WCL.

 

Jack Korba

 

Is currently employed in the Juvenile Section of Office of the Attorney General for DC (OAG) as a prosecutor handling juvenile felonies. From September 2012 - September 2014 he was Employed in the Criminal Section of OAG as a prosecutor handling adult misdemeanors.  As a Capital City Fellow he worked in the Equity Section of the OAG’s office focusing on complex civil litigation.

He received his JD from Washington College of Law, American University in May 2011 and his Bachelors in May of 2008 from the University of Maryland with a double degree in Criminology & Criminal Justice and Government & Politics. He is originally from Califon, New Jersey but lives and works in Washington DC.

 

Elizabeth Lippy

 

Elizabeth Lippy is the Associate Director of the Trial Advocacy Program.  She was the Assistant Director from 2010 to 2018.  Originally from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, she comes from her own private practice  from the law firm of Fairlie & Lippy, P.C. where she focused her practice on Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation. Ms. Lippy has successfully tried numerous cases before a Judge and Jury. She was a member of the Schreyer Honors Program at the Pennsylvania State University, where she graduated in 2000 with a major in Speech Communication and a minor in German.  Her major, Speech Communication, has helped her immensely in trial work, as a main focus of her undergraduate studies was linguistics and the art of speech.  After graduating from Penn State, Ms. Lippy was awarded an academic scholarship and attended Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law. 

Brittany Gail Thomas

 

Brittany Gail Thomas hails from the South Side of Chicago. She attended Howard University where she majored in Legal Communication and was a member of the Howard Mock Trial Team for two years.

Following her undergraduate career, Brittany attended American University Washington College of Law (WCL). While at WCL, Brittany honed her skills as a future public defender. She participated in the Criminal Defense Clinic (year long), as well various externships and student activities, including the Black Law Students Association. Most significantly, Brittany was a member of the Mock Trial Honor Society (MTHS)for two years and acted as its Managing Director (2011-12). Brittany was awarded for competing in each semester during her tenure with MTHS.

jeremy widder

 

Jeremy Widder is an Assistant State's Attorney in Charles County, Maryland. He graduated from Brandeis University and Georgetown University Law Center. He won an All-American Attorney Award while at college. He has been coaching mock trial at Washington College of Law since 2012. He coached the 2013 National Trial Competition national champions, as well as the 2014 and 2015 National Trial Competition regional champions.