attorney advisors needed for disd mock trial teams

There are eight Dallas ISD schools in need of Attorney Advisors. Advisors are asked to lend 4-6 hours of their time to coach and mentor dedicated high school students seeking to gain mock trial experience. For more information, please reference the flyer, guidelines, or contact Melissa Garcia at mgarcia@dallasbar.org or Graham Stephens at grstephens@dallasisd.org


MOCK TRIAL ATTORNEY ADVISOR GUIDELINES

  1. Read the materials, paying particular attention to the Rules of the Competition and the Federal Rules of Evidence (Mock Trial Version). Rules of Evidence that are not included in the case packet are not to be used by the students and are not permitted in the trial.

  2. Meet with the team 4 – 6 times for approximately an hour each prior to the competition if possible. This would be an ideal amount of time spent by the attorney advisor to make a positive impact on the team. Teams understand that attorneys are busy and appreciate any amount of time you can volunteer. All meetings should be approved by school personnel. Scheduling meetings, of course, is a discretionary decision of the individual attorneys and teams.

  3. Assist the team with “technical” legal questions; provide legal expertise; and help students understand, be able to use and recognize legal terminology.

  4. Provide information about proper courtroom attire and demeanor, trial presentation and procedure, and adapting presentation to various juries.

  5. Demonstrate and help develop effective trial techniques in trial sequence: opening statements, direct and cross-examination, and closing arguments.

  6. Demonstrate and help develop effective techniques in the following: • Proper foundation for entering documents into evidence • Entering documents into evidence • Use of objections and responding to objections • Impeaching witnesses

  7. Be available for the team throughout the trials in which they compete; and, if possible, attend the rounds. Help team prepare for both winning and losing. Remind the team to keep the competitive spirit at a reasonable level and in accordance with the Code of Ethical Conduct. Help team members to understand the reality of our adversary system and to accept the outcome of the trial gracefully and in a mature manner (this applies to adults, as well), again, in accordance with the Code of Ethical Conduct.

  8. Coaches are not permitted to communicate with their team during the trial. Do not communicate with your team during a recess, in the event one occurs.

  9. Permit the students to develop strategies for each side of the case before you make your first visit. Convey to the students that they are responsible for the “substance” of the preparation; you are providing “technical” assistance.

  10. Discuss extrapolations, and, in particular, “unfair” extrapolations. Discuss appropriate ways of handling unfair extrapolations during the course of the trial.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF DALLAS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Catholic Charities of Dallas is actively seeking volunteers to help incoming Afghan refugees and SIV holders, fleeing violence in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Please see below for volunteer opportunities and stay posted for more initiatives and ways to support through DAABA's Community Service Committee! To volunteer or for any questions about the volunteer clearance procedure, please email CCD's Volunteer Department at volunteer@ccdallas.org.

If you are interested in joining the Community Service Committee and spearheading an initiative, please email Committee Chair Vinita Tandon-Singh at vinita.tandon88@gmail.com or Kristine Cruz at kristinec@mosaicservices.org.

Areas Needing Volunteers:

  1. Apartment shopping and set-up volunteers: shop for supplies, household items, food and set-up apartment with household items

  2. Airport welcoming committee volunteers: accompany staff to the airport to welcome newly-arrived family and accompany to their apartment to get them settled in with a home-safety orientation.

  3. Mentors: mentor refugee families and aid them in immersion (examples include but are not limited to use public transportation, grocery shop, check their mail, etc).

  4. Interpreters and/or translators: provide voluntary in-person and/or telephonic interpretation. Languages needed: Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Pashto, Farsi, French, Rohingya, Swahili.

  5. Host refugee families in your home temporarily until permanent housing can be secured.

Agape Resource & Assistance Center Volunteer Opportunity

Agape Resource & Assistance Center, a Plano-based nonprofit that provides transitional housing/support services to women and children experiencing homelessness, is seeking lawyers who would be willing to provide services pro bono or at a discounted rate. Many of Agape’s clients are fleeing abusive relationships and are unable to afford legal representation (but their abusers can). Most of the legal issues involve child support, custody, or abuse.

  • If you or someone you know would be willing to consider taking a case pro-bono/low-bono, please contact Agape directly at Admin@Hope4Agape.org.

  • If you would prefer to make a donation, CLICK HERE. Donations will help provide legal fees and mitigate the impact of COVID on the homeless women and children Agape serves.