Local high school students will compete in the 2010 Judge Richard N. Ware IV Memorial Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, at the 19th Judicial District Court Building. The Region V competition will educate students about the law and legal profession.

Each year the Mock Trial Committee of the BRBF plans and conducts the Mock Trial Competition for high school students in Region V. This year participating schools include Baton Rouge Magnet, EBR Acceleration Academy, Episcopal, McKinley, Redemptorist, St. Helena, Southern University Lab School, St. Joseph’s Academy, Tara, White Castle and West Feliciana High Schools. The Foundation arranges for volunteer judges and lawyers to preside over the mock trials.

The 15 teams will be placed into a competition bracket with four rounds. The Friday competition rounds start at 1:15 p.m. and conclude at 6 p.m. Saturday competition is from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Volunteer attorney coaches have been working with the students for their day in court. Each team will present its case before a judge and mock jury. The winning team will compete in the state competition March 20, 2010, in Alexandria, La.

Carla Courtney-Harris of Hammond & Sills is a committee member that participated in the Mock Trial Competition during her high school career. Sarai Tillinghast, a teacher at East Baton Rouge Acceleration Academy, also competed in high school.

Jason Cashio of Kean, Miller, Hawthorne, D'Armond, McCowan & Jarman is the chair of this event. Lauren Byrd Reed of Mang, Bourgeois, LLC is vice-chair of the event.

For more information, contact Donna Buuck at 225-214-5556 or donna@brba.org.