 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 
|
|
 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Bar News - February 21, 2003 Renew Your Faith in the Profession by Presiding at Mock Trial By: Lisa Segal Mock Trial Judge's Perspective IT'S A CHANCE to see a 16-year-old argue a case better than some lawyers you know. Attorneys who have served as judges for the NH Bar's Mock Trial program for middle- and high-school students will tell you that it's a wonderful opportunity to witness the skill and enthusiasm of tomorrow's lawyers. For many, serving as a Mock Trial judge is an eye-opening experience that reminds attorneys why they entered the profession in the first place. "It's been a fantastic experience for me. It's essentially rejuvenated my faith in what I'm doing and why I'm doing it," said NH Superior Court Associate Justice Tina L. Nadeau, who has served as a Mock Trial judge for three years and is now on the Law-Related Education Department's Mock Trial Committee. "These kids are motivated, interested and intelligent. Their excitement and enthusiasm for the law as evidenced in this competition have reminded me of the importance of my job and why I love doing it," she said. Marty Bender was one of the developers of the Mock Trial program in the early '80s who has remained in the program in one way or another - whether writing cases or serving as a scoring judge - for about 20 years. Although he is no longer a practicing attorney due to a stroke he suffered some years ago, Bender enjoys staying connected to the legal profession through Mock Trial (and through the LRE Dept.'s We the People competition). "Getting to witness these kids is so much fun. When the program first started, the kids were kind of raw. Now they are so sophisticated, they do a great job. You go to a Mock Trial competition now and the kids you see are better than a whole lot of lawyers you know," Bender said. Nadeau said that she, too, has been impressed by the caliber of the students participating in the competition - particularly their ability to think on their feet - which makes judging Mock Trial all the more appealing. "These students get a real case with real evidentiary issues and witness problems, and they are able to think on their feet and respond in very impressive ways," she said. "It's really fun to watch." Not only will attorney judges get to witness some outstanding competition at Mock Trial, Nadeau and Bender said, but they will also help to mold future lawyers and can benefit from a renewed sense of perspective about the practice of law. "You're basically helping to train tomorrow's lawyers, which brings you back to when you wanted to become a lawyer yourself," said Bender. Judge Nadeau said that for an attorney or judge, it's very easy to get caught up in the "day-to-day minutiae, paperwork and pressure" of the job and forget why you do it. "By volunteering to work with young, exuberant, idealistic students, it gives you a necessary perspective - it puts you back in touch with people and young minds." "We need to remember that lawyers are public servants in a lot of ways - Mock Trial brings you back to that important goal. It reminds lawyers why we do what we do," Nadeau said. The Mock Trial competition, sponsored by the NHBA and the NH Bar Foundation, annually involves hundreds of students from several dozen schools statewide. Students from middle school through high school form teams that spend several months preparing to argue both sides of a controversial court case. Students participating in Mock Trial are supervised by teachers and volunteer lawyer coaches as they research facts to develop both sides of the case, then prepare for trial, with the students playing the roles of attorneys, plaintiffs and witnesses. By participating in Mock Trial, students learn about constitutional and legal issues, courtroom procedure, public speaking and teamwork as they undergo the demanding task of preparing for trial and presenting a case. This year's case, Jamie B. Foote, a minor, by Pat Foote, the next best friend, et. al. v. J.R. Moses, et. al. and Smallville Public School District, involves the constitutionality of a school policy against dancing on school premises. The LRE program is currently seeking volunteer attorneys to serve as presiding judges and on scoring panels during the two rounds of statewide competition in the middle and high school categories. Regional and final competitions will be held at several courthouses throughout the state in March. Use the form below to volunteer to participate in the Mock Trial experience, or contact Melissa Childs, LRE coordinator, to volunteer or for more information. She can be reached at the Bar Center at (603) 224-6942 or via e-mail at mchilds@nhbar.org. For the full materials of this year's case, go to the For the Public area of this site and click on Law-Related Education, then on Mock Trial. Mock Trial Judge Sign-up Form
|
|
Home | About the Bar | For Members | For the Public | Legal Links | Publications | Online Store New Hampshire Bar Association |
