Volunteer

If you’re a lawyer, you can volunteer to coach a team or act as a judge at a mock trial event. Depending on the availability of lawyers, and the experience of particular law students or students-at-law, students will sometimes coach or judge as well. Anyone can volunteer to help in other ways, for example assisting to organize a mock trial event. You can see the dates of each local tournament by clicking on the “Regions” tab above.

There are a few ways to volunteer:

Mock Trial Team Coach

Meet with a team of students at their school a minimum of four times for about an hour before the tournament to help them prepare and refine their case. You’ll schedule these sessions with the teacher. Sessions usually take place after school (3pm onwards). Before you’re paired with a team, we’ll make sure you can make their preferred meeting times. If you want to coach, you’ll need to be available to meet at least some of the time no later than 4pm (i.e., if you can never get off work before 5pm, coaching won’t work for you).

You can also volunteer to co-coach and share coaching a school, either with a colleague you recruit or another volunteer sourced by organizers.

Typically, coaches are lawyers with some experience working in court in any field of law.

More info: see the OOCMT Lawyer Coach Tips

Mock Trial Judge

You play judge, presiding over the courtroom and scoring the performances of teams when they compete in the mock trial events. Prior to the event, you will be provided with the case and a judge’s handbook to familiarize yourself with the rules and your role. Usually, you’ll be judging on a panel with one or two other lawyers, one of whom is usually a criminal practitioner.

It is not necessary to be a litigator to act as a judge, provided you are comfortable scoring the performances of the students in their courtroom roles. 

More info: see the OOCMT Judges Handbook

Helping Organize

In some areas, we could also use help organizing the event: liaising with courthouse staff, obtaining sponsorship, general logistics, etc.

Contact

Any questions may be directed to oocmt@ojen.ca