Become a Volunteer

The CBA High School Mock Trial Program affords an excellent opportunity to Colorado youth to get involved in a rewarding and fun learning experience. This program is made possible because of hundreds of attorney, paralegal and community volunteers. Please consider being a part of this incredible educational experience for the high school students by volunteering in one or more of the capacities listed below

CBA Mock Trial Committee Member (Flexible 10-month commitment)

The committee is looking for new members to meet for a one-hour lunch meeting on the second Wednesday of each month from July through May. Call-ins are always welcome. The committee organizes the Colorado High School Mock Trial Program, which includes creating an annual case problem and leading numerous training sessions for students and coaches. More than 1,200 high school students participated this year with the guidance of approximately 200 coaches. An additional 900 members volunteered as presiding judges and/ or scoring panelists. To join, email [email protected].

Attorney Coach (Flexible 2 to 6-month Commitment)

Attorney coaches work directly with the teacher coach and students of a high school mock trial team. The attorney offers clarification of the legal matters of the case, strategies for presentation and use of evidentiary material, general insight into the legal issues involved, and tips on courtroom procedure. This position offers the most direct involvement with the students in preparing them for competition. The time commitment varies from 1 or 2 hours per week for two months to a much greater time commitment-- depending on the availability of all those involved. Practices are usually after school, in the evenings, or on weekends depending on the attorney’s schedule and workload. Undoubtedly, attorney coaches are afforded the most rewarding and long-lasting relationships with high school students, who describe their participation in this program as life-changing.

Presiding Judge (3 to 4-hour Time Commitment)

During the competition, the presiding judge acts as the voice of the panel, controls the conduct of the courtroom and trial participants, and supervises the time constraints imposed by the rules of competition. The presiding judge rules on motions and objections based on the rules of evidence. The presiding judge does not announce a verdict on the legal merits of the case but conducts the trial in all other respects as if it were a real trial.

Scoring Panelist (3 to 4-hour Time Commitment)

Three or more attorneys, paralegals, or knowledgeable community members comprise the scoring panel. As a scoring panelist, you will sit in the jury box for the duration of the trial and score the students based on their performance. However, you will not return a verdict; rather, you will fill out the provided score sheet based on the presentation and not the legal merits of the team’s case.

Courtroom Monitor (3 to 4-hour Time Commitment)

The courtroom Monitor’s role is to make sure that there is no communication between participating students and those outside of the bar. They also make sure that there is no food or drink in the courtroom. Overall, the courtroom monitor ensures that everything is running smoothly during the trial. If not, they should report to the Mock Trial Sub-Committee. This individual normally is a member of the public, sometimes employed at the courthouse, or any other volunteer that doesn’t wish to score or judge a round. This is a very important role for a smooth tournament. A volunteer packet will be mailed prior to the event and an orientation will be given to all volunteers before each round.