Talani Silpao, an attorney for Waukesha South High School, makes an argument for the defense in the 2023 State Finals tournament in Madison at the State Capitol.
Feb. 7, 2024 – Last week, nearly 100 high school mock trial teams grappled with a civil liability case in this year’s
State Bar of Wisconsin High School Mock Trial regional tournaments.
Volunteers – whether practicing attorneys or judges on the bench – are needed March 1 and 2, 2024, when 20 teams compete in the semifinals tournament in Madison.
Visit Wisbar.org to sign up. The finals competition will be held on Sunday, March 3, in Madison.
The Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament is a State Bar of Wisconsin program funded by the
Wisconsin Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the State Bar. Founded in 1983, the program helps students gain a deeper understanding of our legal system while developing leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Why Volunteer?
Attorneys who volunteered in 2023 as judges said seeing the students in action is what brings them back each year.
Tatiana Shirasaki, assistant corporation counsel for Dodge County, volunteered a third time in 2023. She served as a scoring judge. The students were “unbelievable,” she said. “It was perfect. It was also a lot of fun.”
Milwaukee attorney Nick Zales volunteered for his fourth year in 2023. “The students' youthful exuberance and dedication to doing their best are what bring me back,” he said. “I am so impressed with the preparation and attitude of the participants.”
The 2024 Case: Illegal Substance Use Gone Wrong
This year’s case – written by the Mock Trial Casewriting Committee – is about experimental use of illegal substances gone wrong. The person who was harmed by consuming a misidentified substance is bringing civil claims against the person who provided the substance: a negligence-based claim brought under a fictitious civil liability statute that allows such claims for harm against distributors, and a claim for defamation based upon harmful statements allegedly made by the distributor after the fact.
Volunteer Judges Needed – Here’s How to Sign Up
Volunteers – whether practicing attorneys or judges on the bench – are needed for semifinal competitions on Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2, in Madison. Session times are Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
To volunteer, visit
wisbar.org/mocktrial, click the volunteer button, and sign up for the semi-finals. If you have questions, contact Katie Wilcox by
email or by phone at (608) 250-6191, or (800) 444-9404, ext. 6191.
The Wisconsin High School Mock Trial program is funded by a generous grant from the
Wisconsin Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the State Bar of Wisconsin, supporting law-related education and public service programs statewide. Donations to the Wisconsin Law Foundation’s Mock Trial Fund can be made online at
wisbar.org/wlfdonate.
