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February 24, 2020 at 10:30 am

High School Students Invited to Apply for Free Summer Law & Trial Institute

Engage with Attorneys and Judges | Litigate a Mock Trial | Watch a Supreme Court Argument

High school students from Southeastern Ohio can apply now for the free Summer Law & Trial Institute offered virtually by Ohio University from July 19-27, 2020.

Preference is given to rising high school juniors and seniors from Southeastern Ohio, though students from outside the region also can apply.

Students accepted into the program will explore law and the American legal system. They will learn about a variety of legal careers, meeting dozens of Ohio University alumni who will discuss their roles as attorneys, judges and advocates.

“I know some people say something changed their life,” says Lori Turner, who participated in the 2016 institute.

“I really wouldn’t be here,” she says, “because I had nothing. Nothing got me out of bed. And being able to come here and find that there’s something out there that’s for me, I have a purpose now. And I can get out of bed and I can go do these things, and I can even end up here,” says Turner, now a Political Science major at Ohio University. Watch Lori Turner on YouTube.

Virtual experiences will include:

  • Watch a  Supreme Court of Ohio oral argument.
  • Virtually visit the Athens County Court of Common Pleas.
  • Virtually visit with non-governmental organizations, such as Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, and others.
  • Meet and interact with Ohio attorneys and judges.
  • Litigate a mock trial in a virtual courtroom.
Summer Law & Trial Institute students at the Supreme Court of Ohio, standing in front of the justice's bench.

Summer Law & Trial Institute students at the Supreme Court of Ohio

Free Program for High-Achieving, Rising High School Juniors and Seniors

The deadline to apply is June 17. Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis, so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as admission is competitive.

The virtual Summer Law & Trial Institute aims to increase understanding of the law and its possibilities among Ohio high school students from Southeast Ohio. The program also seeks to foster an interest in all aspects of legal education, service, and issues and to create the next generation of legal, advocacy, and community professionals.

The institute was founded in 2016 by Larry Hayman, Pre-Law Advisor at the Center for Law, Justice & Culture.  Hayman joined the law center in 2014 after eight years of practicing law. Hayman earned a B.A. in Political Science and graduated magna cum laude from the College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio University in 2003. He received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and is licensed to practice law in Ohio and in U.S. District Court.

Students in the institute will learn about:

  • Making the transition from high school to college
  • Exploring career opportunities in law
  • Exploring undergraduate, graduate, and professional areas of legal study
  • Law, the American legal system, and putting on a trial

The program is free of charge and fully scholarshipped. This program is made possible by a donation from the Athens County Bar Association and generous alumni support. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the donors.

The Summer Law & Trial Institute is developed, coordinated and implemented by the Center for Law, Justice & Culture in collaboration with the Ohio University College of Arts & Sciences, Athens County Court of Common Pleas, American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, and Southeastern Ohio Legal Services.

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