Volunteers Needed

Thesis in Law is a class taught at Reynoldsburg High School, focusing on the Ohio Mock Trial program sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE). The OCLRE website describes the Mock Trial program as:

“a statewide educational program designed to allow students to become aware of their constitutional rights and responsibilities. It provides students the opportunity to learn first hand about the law, court procedures and the judicial system while also building interpretation, critical thinking and public speaking skills. Students who compete in the Mock Trial program come away with a greater understanding of not only the principals our legal system is founded on but of themselves and the skills they possess.”

In addition to mock trial, the class has a strong focus on constitutional rights, actions of the Supreme Court and the Judicial system overall.

One essential component of the program is the involvement of attorney coaches. These coaches provide the legal expertise of a working professional in the field and help the students build the case they will argue during the mock trial competition.

We are currently looking for new attorney coaches to work with mock trial teams. Attorney coaches need to commit to working with their team one 50 minute class period a week through January 30th, with the exception of winter break, which runs from December 17th though January 3. Additionally, coaches need to be available on January 7th during the evening for our scrimmage, and for the whole day on January 30th for district competition.

Students are motivated and are currently working on the case law for the competition case. The team registration is due by December 1, and each team must have an attorney coach by that date. We currently have 4 attorneys who have made the commitment. High School students have few opportunities to work with professionals outside of the teaching field. This is an excellent opportunity for you to have a direct impact on the future of my students. Please consider contributing your time to this worthwhile program If you have any questions, please contact Jim Coley:

Jim Coley
Thesis-in-Law instructor
Reynoldsburg High School
jcoley@reyn.org
740/739.0936