Judge Empire Philadelphia

SEPTEMBER 28-30
Center for Criminal Justice

Have fun. Make a difference. Judge mock trial.

What to Expect at Empire Philadelphia

Volunteer as a judge or juror for one 2.5 - 3 hour trial

  • Watch an extraordinary group of high school students - 36 teams from 16 states and 4 countries, including 5 teams from the home state of Pennsylvania

    • If you love the experience, you may volunteer for more than one trial!

  • Rounds start with a pre-trial oral argument, and each side calls 3 witnesses to the stand

  • Score the students on their performance and provide them with written/verbal feedback

    • We’ll provide you with laptops to make it easy for you to score and take notes

  • Enjoy a complimentary meal prior to trial, while listening to an overview of the competition

Prepare for Trial

  • Review an Evaluator’s Guide, which includes background on the case and guidance for scoring the trial

  • Review a Bench Brief (presiders only) which includes a roadmap and script for presiding, legal documents, and a list of questions that you can ask advocates during the oral argument

  • Watch 30 minute training video via Zoom (or YouTube) prior to the competition (scheduled for Thursday, 9/19

Opportunities to Earn CLE

  • Earn 1 ethics credit for attending a one hour CLE workshop prior to the trial

    • PA, DE, NJ & NY lawyers are eligible to receive credit

  • Attorneys can earn up to 4 CLE credits, if they attend all 4 seminars

  • List of seminar descriptions can be found here

  • New York & New Jersey lawyers can earn 3 CLE credits for judging mock trial subject to the following conditions:

    • Pennsylvania lawyers are not permitted to receive CLE credit for judging mock trial

    • The CLE credits are non-transitional (not for newly admitted attorneys, see here)

    • You cannot earn more than (3) CLE credits for judging more than one trial (NYSBA rules, not ours)

    • Certificates are e-mailed 6-8 weeks after the competition

  • Empire partners with Eagle Cove Bar Services to process its CLE certificates; we are not, ourselves, an accredited CLE provider

Presented in partnership with
the PBA

 

Who We Are

  • Empire Mock Trial is a 501 (c)(3) education nonprofit that coordinates mock trial programs for high school students

    • Our mission is to educate, connect and empower young people to be more capable and compassionate citizens, who respect the rule of law, treat one another with civility and kindness, and who can distinguish between fact and opinion (Learn more)

  • Since our founding, we’ve impacted more than 10,000 students from 7 countries and 38 states, including schools from across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania—

    • Central High School; Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School; Roman Catholic High School; and St. Joseph’s Preparatory (Philadelphia)

    • Beaver Area High School (Beaver); Central Bucks High School South (Warrington); J.P. McCaskey High School (Lancaster); and Nazareth Area High School (Nazareth)

  • This is the first year that we are hosting a program in Philadelphia, after running competitions in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Hong Kong.

Our Impact: A Local Perspective

Roman Catholic High School & Villanova School of Law

“I’ve coached mock trial at the law school, college and high school level, and I can tell you that Empire Mock Trial's students are some of the most impressive I’ve ever seen. They litigate very complex and topical cases, which makes serving as a judge or juror really enjoyable.”

“Additionally, the entire organization is top notch and shows immense gratitude to its volunteers. So if you can, please volunteer at Empire Philadelphia. I promise you won’t regret it.”

Steve Patton
Mock Trial Coach, Roman Catholic High School & Villanova School of Law
Associate Attorney, McMonagle Perri

Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School (MCSCS)

"Empire Mock Trial has been extremely generous to my students over the years. When we were a newer team back in 2018, they provided a full scholarship to every one of our members to travel, stay at hotels, and compete in New York. There, my students were able to connect with other mock trial students from all around the world and really sharpen their skills. “

“Mock Trial has been a core part of my students’ high school experience and I hope more kids get to experience that. Thank you for considering judging at Empire Philadelphia -- you really are making a difference."

Ryan Smith
Mock Trial Coach, Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School (MCSCS)
High School Social Studies Teacher, MCSCS

Schedule & Logistics

  • There are four (4) preliminary trials and a Championship Round

  • All trials are held at the Juanita Stout Center for Criminal Justice, where you’ll enjoy breakfast or lunch while being trained

  • Our schedule for Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29 is identical:

    • Rounds 1 & 3:

      • Arrive at 8:30 AM, if you intend to attend the one hour CLE workshop

      • Arrive at 9:15 AM, if you do not intend to attend the CLE workshop

    • Rounds 2 & 4:

      • Arrive at 1:45 PM, if you intend to attend the one hour CLE workshop

      • Arrive at 2:30 PM, if you do not intend to attend the CLE workshop

  • For the Championship Round on Monday, September 30, please report at 9:00 AM (location T.B.D.)

Are you interested in volunteering this fall?

We’re excited to meet you!

What We Do

Are you interested in volunteering this fall?

Complete the form below and we’ll see you soon.