When sophomore Olivia Brazier first joined the Law Magnet, she didn’t necessarily see herself standing in a courtroom and arguing a case. She credits the magnet with helping her to come out of her shell and excel in ways she hadn’t before.

“She got on the stand and her classmates were like “wow” and amazed with her,” Law Magnet teacher Chris Bufkin said. “I think that helped build her confidence, her hard work and dedication impressed the team and it’s built her confidence because of how impressed they were with her.”

Brazier’s confidence to take up another role has helped the mock trial team as a whole as well. Having that confidence and being able to self-advocate are the biggest changes about she’s gone through as a member of mock trial.

“She is more vocal, she will argue with me which is good,” Bufkin said. “I don’t take offense to that, it’s a law class. I want her to argue her point especially when she feels strongly about something.”

Brazier said that she used to be anxious about talking to people, and that it was difficult to public speak or do anything that had to do with putting herself out there in front of others.

“I would not talk to people or when they talked to me the conversation was short,” she said. “I would not talk to the teachers. If I had a question, I would just try to figure it out myself. It was definitely difficult because it’s like you want to say things and offer your opinion but you’re worried about what other people are going to say or think, so you end up not speaking your mind”

Members of the law magnet and mock trial team have seen her come a long way with public speaking, from the beginning of her freshman year to now.

“In her freshman year she was just in the corner and not saying anything, not interacting as much,” senior Alex Smith said. “Coming into the second semester she took a part as a witness for a mock trial and actually competed. Now Sophomore year she’s been working with me, and she’s become a lot more outspoken and involved.”

Bufkin said if she continues to keep going at the rate she is, she could become a captain because she is very involved according to one of her team captains.

“She’s really driven, right now we are doing a practice case and she’s been doing a lot of team organizing,” Smith said. “Getting focused, putting in time outside of mock trials. She is committed and driven she is a leader.”