FBC News

Inn of Court Ends Year with a Laugh

By Marjorie E. Berman

    The Federal Bar Council Inn of Court, under the leadership of Sheila Boston, enjoyed another successful year of insightful, thoughtful, and creative programming. At the end-of-year dinner on June 16, 2015, Judge Roslyn Mauskoff was installed as president for 2015-2016 and Peggy Kuo was announced as president-elect.

    The evening concluded with the annual musical production by the Inn of Court Players. This year’s show, entitled Southern District Story, was a takeoff on West Side Story, featuring the amusing feud between two gangs — the Feds (prosecutors) and the Sharks (defense lawyers).  When the prosecution (Steve Edwards, Jane Goldberg, and Larry Krantz) indicted a fisherman (Sheila Boston) under Sarbanes-Oxley for throwing fish overboard (a la Yates v. U.S., 135 S. Ct. 1074 (2015)), her defense team (Margie Berman, Lia Brooks, Jason Canales, and Karla Sanchez) geared up for a win in this very public trial.  Tensions in the courtroom of Judge Phyllis (Phyllis Maglieri) were high from the start.  But when prosecutor Tony (Andrew Mancilla) and defense attorney Maria (Sammi Malek), met in court, their passionate entanglement led to trouble and raised the temperature of the impending trial (and each other).  As each side looked forward to their win at trial (and the public attention) they sang (to the tune of “Tonight”):

    This trial, This trial.
    Won’t be just any trial.
    This trial will make my name, my career

    This trial. This trial.
    I’ll show the world my style.
    What I do, what I am,
    Have no fear

    With this, I’ll make my name forever
    Become a true rainmaker
    It’s what I’ve practiced for

    But more than me
    PROSECUTORS: I know she’ll be convicted
    DEFENSE LAWYERS: She’ll go free

    This trial
    This trial, this trial
    The world will watch beguiled
    The press, the news will cover each phase
    This trial, this trial
    It’s going to take a while
    Many weeks, I’ll be on, I’ll be praised

    My cross, will skewer like an arrow
    My closing just like Darrow
    Will leave them all in awe….
    And here we are
    And one will be a loser, one a star
    This trial

    We do not want to give it all away in case you are able to see the show in revivals.  Rest assured, in the end, as in all corny musicals, justice prevailed and love carried the day.