ISBA Mock Trial Competition: A Volunteer’s Perspective

The Illinois State Bar Association offers Illinois high schools the opportunity to establish mock trial teams to compete in regional and final state-wide competitions. The experience that students obtain in the preparation and performing in hypothetical criminal or civil trials is valuable not only for students who may intend to become lawyers but also for any student who wishes to hone his or her intellectual and speaking skills. The ISBA Mock Trial program involves countless hours of planning and work by ISBA staff and committee members creating hypothetical trial facts, handling logistics of the competitions, and the amassing of a sufficient number of volunteers to make the competition meaningful and valuable to the students on the mock trial teams. 

I have served as a volunteer in three state-wide mock trial competitions held in Springfield. My role was as a juror/evaluator. Generally there are four or five juror/evaluators in each trial involving two high schools, each representing one side of the trial parties, plaintiff or defendant, or as state of Illinois and criminal defendant. Let me say that I found the experience as a volunteer to be absolutely fantastic. Seeing the bright high school youth on the various teams gives evidence that the future of this country is in good hands. We jurors/evaluators get a lot more out of the mock trials than do the students, as we are allowed the privilege of seeing fine young people in a setting which showcases their verbal skills and intelligent thinking. I am 76 years of age, am retiring this year after 51 years as a lawyer in private practice, and have found that the mock trial program has given me a great deal of personal peace in seeing these fine young people at work. It would be great if more people could see these excellent high school students at work. 

The mock trial competition gives the mock trial team members an opportunity to interact with judges and lawyers throughout Illinois who will see the trial teams in action and then provide feedback in the way of comments and suggestions. I would strongly encourage high schools to establish mock trial teams if they have not already, as it will provide a valuable educational experience with the elaborate structure of competition being taken care of by the Illinois State Bar Association. Also, I encourage volunteer participation which is open to legal and non-legal personnel. I assure you that it will change your life.

R. Nicholas Burton
Attorney at Law
224 N. Summit Ave.
Decatur, IL  62522
(217) 433-2064
rnburton@outlook.com