March 01, 2015

2015 High School/Middle School Mock Trial

On February 28, 2015, 110 local students from 12 schools gathered at Lewis & Clark College for the 16th Annual High School/Middle School Mock Trial Event. The event was  hosted by Lewis & Clark Law School as part of DiscoverLaw.Org created by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). The council encourages outreach to young people from backgrounds underrepresented in the field of law to educate them about law as a career by funding programs designed as “diversity pipeline” events.

On February 28, 2015, 110 local students from 12 schools gathered on campus for the 16th Annual High School/Middle School Mock Trial Event. Lewis & Clark Law School, in association with DiscoverLaw.org of the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), hosted the High School/Middle School Mock Trial outreach event as part of LSAC’s National Minority Recruitment Month.The council encourages outreach to young people from backgrounds underrepresented in the field of law to educate them about law as a career by funding programs designed as “diversity pipeline” events.

All of the students in attendance reported having a great time, and raved about how much they learned. When asked to sum up their Mock Trial experiences, the comments included, “It was great” and “I loved the whole thing. Don’t change it at all!” One sixth grader commented, “You should do this every day. This is the best field trip ever.” A 10th grader stated, “I loved going through this experience and opens me up to new careers I may want to think about.  I also really liked the volunteers.” Another 10th grader said, “I really like the Mock Trial Event. It was a taste of what you’d really expect and it was a fun experience doing something new.” Throughout the day, the students were engaged and enthusiastic.

Students commented on their interactions with the volunteers, calling them, “friendly” and “helpful.” Over 45 Lewis & Clark Law students and 20 local attorneys helped facilitate the Mock Trial.

After the Mock Trial, volunteers spoke on a panel answering questions about college, law school, and the legal profession. The day wrapped with students taking a tour of the Lewis & Clark College campus.