Wanted: Attorneys to Coach Teens for Mock Trial Competition

Greetings from the DeKalb Regional High School Mock Trial office! The Regional Competition is right around the corner (Feb. 11-12), and this year we are making a big push to encourage the 16 or more DeKalb high schools that do not have Mock Trial teams to get involved and establish teams. I have participated in this program for seven years and I see what it can do for a student’s self esteem, confidence, and speaking ability. Programs like this one have the potential of saving lives and even discouraging criminal activity, since it requires young people to be involved in something long-term and meaningful. We would like to see more of our DeKalb teens reap these benefits.
 
As the regional coordinator for DeKalb, I am asking for your help. For these new teams to be successful, they will need attorneys to act as coaches. The general time commitment is about four hours a week, starting in November, and you can receive CLE credit for your time. Attorney coaches are encouraged to have a basic understanding of trial procedure, but it’s ideal for a coaching staff to have a balance of litigators and non-litigators. The goal is to have two-three attorney coaches per team. The main requirements for an attorney coach is to be willing to put in the time, use positive, interactive teaching techniques during the sessions, keep lecturing to a minimum, and stay enthusiastic throughout the season and on competition day.
 
If you are interested in coaching a DeKalb County school please contact Stacy Rieke, Georgia Mock Trial coordinator, 404-527-8779, or StacyR@gabar.org. Thank you for your consideration and service to the DeKalb Bar!

Nicole D. Marchand
Regional Coordinator
ndmarchand@dekalbcountyga.gov