Honoring the Pennsylvania Bar Association for hosting the 27th Annual National High School Mock Trial Championship in Philadelphia.

WHEREAS,

On May 6th to 9th, 2010, the Pennsylvania Bar Association (“PBA”) will host the 27th Annual National High School Mock Trial Championship in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS,

Mock trial teams competing in the Championship include representatives of more than 40 states as well as Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and South Korea and more than 750 high school students, teacher coaches, and lawyer advisers will travel to Philadelphia for the tournament and more than 300 Pennsylvania law students, lawyers, judges, educators, and other volunteers will staff and judge this event; and

WHEREAS,

On an annual basis, Pennsylvania, through the leadership of PBA Pro Bono Coordinator David Keller Trevaskis, Esquire, hosts one of the country's largest statewide mock trial competitions, which this year, included 339 teams from 284 high schools from throughout the Commonwealth, and Philadelphia, through the leadership of Temple Law School LEAP Director Roberta West, Esquire, hosts the John S. Bradway High School Mock Trial Competition, where 50 public and parochial schools compete for the city championship; and

WHEREAS,

Through the competition, six to eight member student teams are given the opportunity to argue both sides of a case in an actual courtroom before a judge and the students, playing the roles of lawyers, witnesses, plaintiffs, and defendants, are assisted by teacher coaches and attorney advisors in preparing for competition and volunteer lawyers and community leaders serve as jurors in the trials and determine the winners in each trial based on the teams' abilities to prepare their cases, present arguments, and follow court rules; and

WHEREAS,

The National High School Mock Trial Championship is the premier national law-related academic tournament for high school students and mock trial programs are designed to give students an inside perspective on the legal system, providing them with an understanding of the mechanism through which society chooses to resolve many of its disputes and participation in a performance-based, hands-on program of this nature provides students with a practical knowledge of the operation of our legal system; and

WHEREAS,

Mock trial programs develop young citizens who can sustain and build our nation by making a reasoned and informed commitment to democracy and provide students with the opportunity to develop and improve important life skills, including oral advocacy, critical thinking, effective communication, quality preparation, teamwork, and following rules, and these life skills will benefit mock trial students throughout their lives, regardless of their chosen careers. Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, T

hat we hereby honor

the Pennsylvania Bar Association for hosting the 27th Annual National High School Mock Trial Championship in Philadelphia.

FURTHER RESOLVED,

That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to representatives of The Pennsylvania Bar Association and its National Mock Trial Committee as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

End

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