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Fort Lauderdale student's law future looks bright thanks to hard work, determination

Fort Lauderdale high school senior wins world mock trial competition
Fort Lauderdale high school senior wins world mock trial competition 03:10

A teenager from Fort Lauderdale is making Miami Proud, holding a trophy no other student in South Florida has. It's a life-sized gladiator helmet, given to the world's best mock trial competitor. 

The "Gladiator" is an international competition with room for just three percent of mock trial hopefuls. 

Marvin Exantus is the first teen in Broward County to win the competition and has big plans for his future.

"Eventually, I want to go into politics, maybe, or even go into a judgeship. So that's the ultimate goal. Or maybe even my own law firm," he said.

Extanus is a senior at Fort Lauderdale High School, where he's senior class president and mock trial team captain. He will also be the first in his family to go to college. 

For his classmates, he's an inspiration. 

"Marvin has always been a big inspiration for me, even as early as middle school. He had this burning passion for law and was just absolutely talented at it," said fellow senior Kyra Myers. 

At the competition finals, Extanus tackled a mock theft case. His argument won in a split decision, handing him the trophy he plans to carry to college and beyond. 

"It is one of the most incredible things for any student to be able to win the Gladiator. But for someone like Marvin who has put in so much time and so much effort, and he's gone above and beyond everything for the mock trial. I was crying a little bit. It was a wonderful moment for just an incredible human being and for such a passionate student lawyer," said Dan Kat, who coordinates Fort Lauderdale High School's pre-law magnet program.

Middle school is where Extanus found his passion. Like most kids his age, he had no idea what career path to choose, until he took a mock trial class. That's where he met Katz. 

Extanus's work ethic is described as maniacal, and that helped land him in advanced classes right away. He also joined the mock trial team where he learned the rules of evidence faster than any student, according to Katz. 

Extanas scored a fellowship with Conrad & Scherer's law firm, where he made such a good impression, he landed a summer internship shadowing some of the best legal minds around.

"They meet the judges. They go back to chambers and we bring them to the law firm and we just try to mentor them and show them what it is like to be an attorney, or have a career in law, and to really show them that it is possible," said Janine McGuire, a partner at Conrad & Scherer.

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