From Ft. Lauderdale to the world stage — Marvin Exantus wins Gladiator mock trial competition
Marvin Exantus
Marvin Exantus, a student in the Ft. Lauderdale High School pre-law magnet program and a competitor on their mock trial team, recently won the Ninth Annual Gladiator International Mock Trial Competition in Atlanta.
Exantus, a rising senior, was one of 60 students from across the country, including some from Canada, China, and Australia, invited to attend the event because of their stellar performance during the school year.
Since 2015, Gladiator has hosted more than 300 competitors from 25 states and five countries. They represent schools that have won county, state, and national championships. Gladiator is not a team tournament; it’s one-on-one. Teammates, coaches, and family can help participants prepare, but once they enter the courtroom, they have no co-counsel.
The winner receives a life-size replica Gladiator helmet and the title of “Best in the World.” The tournament directors are Professor Justin Bernstein of UCLA School of Law and Will Warihay, head coach of the Georgia Tech Mock Trial Team.
Exantus’ championship makes him the first from Broward County and the second from Florida to win the international competition.
Exantus was coached by Florida Bar members Jennito Simon, who has been coaching this team for 10 years and has taken it to multiple championships in the last three years; Dan Katz, who has been teaching and coaching at Ft. Lauderdale High School for over 20 years; and Gabrielle Higgins, a young lawyer who has been supporting the program as an assistant coach since 2021.
Exantus aspires to go to college next year and law school shortly after.
“He dreams of using these skills to make a difference in his community,” Higgins said. “He will be a first-generation college student and first-generation law student.”
