Attorney coaches needed for high school mock trial

The State Bar of Montana’s Board of Trustees has approved a proposal to create a statewide high school mock trial competition in Montana.

Montana is currently one of the few states in the country without a high school mock trial competition, although mock trial teams from Helena have competed in Idaho since 2015, led by attorney coaches David Morine and Kayleigh Morine and faculty coach Kacey Askin.

The plan calls for a state competition to be held each spring starting in 2020. Known costs that the bar will cover include $250 for membership in the National High School Mock Trial organization, and $500 to register the Montana champion team to compete at the 2020 National Championship May 6-9 in Evansville, Ind. The State Bar will administer the state competition with existing staff resources and will seek private funds to support the program.

Any Montana high school, public or private, will be allowed to create up to three teams consisting of six to nine students. Each school must have at least one faculty coach and one attorney coach.

If you are interested in helping start a high school mock trial team, please email mocktrial@montanabar.org.