Joshua A. McGuire, Mock Trial Committee Chair
27th Annual Statewide High School Mock Trial Program
Welcome from the 2011-2012 Mock Trial Chair
As the MBA ends its celebration of their centennial year,
we have an opportunity to reflect on the MBA's long tradition of
education and public service. For many years now, the Mock Trial
Program has been an integral part of that tradition, providing high
school students with a positive first experience with the law, as
well as a valuable and dynamic educational experience.
The tournament begins in late January and continues into March
with a "sweet sixteen" round, culminating in the State Finals, to
be held on March 23, 2012. All participating teams are invited and
strongly encouraged to attend the State Finals to observe the
tournament's competition at its highest level. The state champion
team will compete for the national title in Albuquerque, New
Mexico in May of 2012.
The Mock Trial program has been structured with the following
goals in mind:
- To further your understanding of the law, court procedures,
civil liberties and our legal system;
- To increase your proficiency in basic life skills, such as
listening, speaking, reading and reasoning;
- To develop your advocacy skills regardless of which side of the
case is being represented and irrespective of the party with which
you most identify;
- To promote better communication and cooperation between you,
the schools and the legal profession; and
- To heighten your consiousness of law-related professions and
the academic studies, which lead to those professions.
We thank you for your participation
and we hope you find the experience challenging, enlightening and
fun!
The Mock Trial Program is
administered by the MBA, and made possible by the international law
firm of Brown Rudnick through its Center for the Public Interest in
Boston, which has contributed $25,000 per year to the program since
1998.