Interested in helping?

Are you an attorney, a law student, or a judge?

Competitions like this are a great educational experience for students, but they would not be possible without the help of numerous volunteers who take their time to assess students and give valuable feedback. Last year we were able to reach out to over 200 attorneys, judges, and educators in the Chicago area. The volunteers help us host an incredibly successful inaugural tournament--unlike other tournaments we were able to supply between three and five volunteers to judge each round, and the students benefitted greatly from their diverse critiques.

If you or any of your colleagues are interested, we would love to have you come and volunteer as a presiding or a scoring judge. Please contact us at northwesternmt@gmail.com for further details.

The Second Annual Northwestern Invitational Tournament

The Northwestern Invitational Tournament is held annually at the Daley Center in downtown Chicago. All proceeds from the tournament go to a non-profit, and unlike other invitational tournaments, outstanding students receive a personalized trophy for their accomplishments. The spirit award is named after Corrie Lazar, a mocker who exemplified the sportsmanship, enthusiasm, and camaraderie of the ideal teammate, and we hope every team in attendance will benefit from the bonding and learning opportunities at this tournament.

Where: The Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL.

When: Saturday, January 19 and Sunday, January 20.
(Judges do not need to stay for the full duration of the tournament--there will be 2 rounds per day, and judges may choose which round or rounds they would like to judge.)

Preliminary Schedule

The preliminary schedule is as follows. If you are interested in being a volunteer judge, you can come to assess just one round, or as many as four!

DAY ONE (Saturday, Jan. 19th)
9:00 AM - Judges' Meeting
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Round 1.
1:30 PM - Judges' Meeting
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Round 2.
Lunch will be provided for all judges.

DAY TWO (Sunday, Jan. 20th)
9:00 AM - Judges' Meeting
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Round 3
1:30 PM - Judges' Meeting
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Round 4
Lunch will be provided for all judges.

Further information

Here is some further information for anybody interested in judging:

Format: 20 of the best Midwestern undergraduate Mock Trial teams will compete against each other. Opposing schools will face off in trials where they play plaintiff and defense, each calling three witnesses, performing statements and examinations, and showcasing their knowledge of trial procedure and evidence in objection arguments. This year's problem is a civil case, where the defendant faces claims of wrongful death.

Responsibility of Judges: Write comments and score performances on a scale of 1-10 for statements, examinations and witnesses. Rank four best witnesses and four best attorneys in trial. One judge in a trial will preside and rule on objections. The scoring system will be explained in greater detail in the Judges' Meetings.

Contact: If you are interested in volunteering as a judge for this competition, please reply to northwesternmt@gmail.com.