Wisconsin
Lawyer
Vol. 81, No. 2, February
2008
Volunteer Options; Get Involved in Mock Trial
The annual Mock Trial Tournament is run with assistance from hundreds
of
volunteer lawyers, judges, and coordinators in communities statewide.
The time
commitment for volunteer opportunities ranges from a half day to several
months
to a few minutes to pledge monetary support.
Attorney coaches. Coaching can begin as early as
September and end in
early spring. Students work with their teachers and volunteer attorney
coaches,
to research, study, and prepare a hypothetical courtroom trial. Case
materials, prepared by the State Bar of Wisconsin's Law-related
Education Committee,
involve issues that are interesting and important to young people.
Teams comprise three witnesses and three attorneys on each side
of
the case. Teams may have as many as 12 students; however, only six
students
may participate in any given trial. Working with their coaches, the
students
use the case problem provided for the competition - a statement of
facts,
legal authorities and rules, affidavits and/or exhibits to help prepare
opening statements, and to formulate direct and cross-examinations and
closing
arguments.
Judges. Hundreds of attorneys and judges are needed in
Madison for a
half-day or full-day commitment during one weekend in February to judge
the
regional tournament and one Sunday in March to judge the state
tournament. The
state competition culminates with two teams presenting before the
Wisconsin
Supreme Court, and the winning team advances to the national competition
in May.
The cases are presented before panels of judges and attorneys
that
evaluate the teams on their demonstrated knowledge and presentation
skills, rather
than on the legal merits of the issue at hand. During mock trial rounds,
volunteer lawyers and judges evaluate the teams based on the students'
familiarity
with the case and formulation of their arguments.
Volunteers are still needed for the March 16 state
competition. Volunteers are needed in Madison on Sunday, March 16,
to judge the state
tournament. Volunteer lawyers and judges will evaluate the teams based
on the
students' familiarity with the case and formulation of their arguments.
The
top two teams will advance to compete before the Wisconsin Supreme Court
on
Monday, March 17.
To volunteer, please contact State Bar LRE Coordinator Dee
Runaas at
(800) 444-9404, ext. 6191, or (608) 250-6191.
Wisconsin
Lawyer
