Congratulations to Kirkwood High School, which won the Missouri High School Mock Trial Competition last weekend and will represent Missouri at the National High School Mock Trial Championship. Congratulations also to Clayton High School, which finished second.
The first two rounds were held virtually in January and February, but the state championship was held in person March 25-27. There were 18 schools at the beginning of competition on March 25, with five from the Kansas City Region, two from the Ozark/Springfield Region and 11 from the St. Louis Region. The Kansas City Region is coordinated by the Lawyers Association of Kansas City Young Lawyers Section, the Ozark/Springfield Region is coordinated by the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association and the St. Louis Region is coordinated by The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL).
Thank you to all the volunteers who have made the competition possible. The competition requires hundreds of volunteers to coach teams and judge rounds. We are truly grateful for all who contribute to the program. Thank you also to the St. Charles County Courts and St. Charles County Sheriff's Department for hosting the State Championship. Thank you to Judge Rebecca Navarro-McKelvey, a circuit judge for St. Charles County, who served as the presiding judge for the championship round.
The Kirkwood team is pictured, from left to right. Back row: Peter Stragand (lawyer and retired Kirkwood teacher); Lucas Ravenscraft (lawyer and current Kirkwood teacher), Helena Verbrugge, Mackenzie Klein, Ryan Zickel, Madeline Rapp, Hannah Maschmann, Joshua Jones (attorney) and Kate Maxson (attorney). Front row: Maddie Rowan, Merry Schlarman, Hon. Rebeca Navarro-McKelvey, Lucy Schenne and James Reinert (attorney).
In addition to the competition, the Mock Trial Hall of Fame inducted its inaugural members:
Teacher Coaches:
Peter Stragand
Randy Pierce
Attorney Coaches:
Rebecca Nickelson
David Cox
Special thanks goes to the Mock Trial Steering Committee:
- Co-Chairs: Josh Jones, Jeff McPherson and James Wilke
- Members: Sarah Bardol, Courtney Chen, Jordan May, Danielle Atchison and Crista Hogan
- State Coordinator: Danny Barnett of BAMSL
The Missouri High School Mock Trial Competition was founded by The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) in 1979 and is BAMSL's most established program. The program is supported by the Saint Louis Bar Foundation and the Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation.
As BAMSL's only statewide Law-Related Education program, the Missouri High School Mock Trial Competition serves more than 500 students from more than 40 schools throughout Missouri and is supported by up to 400 attorneys who volunteer as coaches, judges and evaluators.
The mock trials are structured like real courtroom trials and follow the same rules and procedures, so students learn first-hand how the legal system works and what role judges, lawyers, juries and witnesses play in the court system. This increased understanding helps students develop a deeper appreciation for our justice system and the administration of justice. The competition also helps students develop and improve their public speaking and critical thinking skills.
For more information about the annual High School Mock Trial Competition and photos from this year’s state championship, please visit www.momocktrial.org.
With more than 6,500 members in the St. Louis region, including attorneys, judges, paralegals and law firm administrators, The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) is the oldest and most respected voluntary bar association in the area. BAMSL exists to benefit its members as well as to serve the legal profession and the public at large.
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NOTE: Photo attached of the winning team from Kirkwood High School.
For more information, please contact BAMSL Assistant Executive Director, Operations/Missouri State Coordinator Danny Barnett at (314) 485-3803 or dbarnett@bamsl.org or BAMSL Assistant Executive Director, Membership and Marketing, Susan Sagarra at ssagarra@bamsl.org or (314) 485-3802.
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