Posted by by Girl Scout Project Law Track Program Co-Chairs for the CBA Alliance for Women: Brandi Burton, Erica Byrd, Jennifer Kobayashi, Meagan Newman, Monica Weed, and Brittany Weiss
The Chicago Bar Association’s Alliance for Women and the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana are gearing up for the Tenth Annual Project Law Track Program on Saturday, March 7, 2020. The program consists of one dynamic interactive full-day session designed to introduce Girl Scouts to the field of law that will culminate in a mock trial in the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago.
The program introduces girls to the many different opportunities that a legal career can offer, demystifying the portrayal of lawyers as seen on television and in the movies, and providing girls with the experience of stepping into the shoes of a trial attorney to prepare a case for a mock trial and try it before a real judge in a Federal courtroom. To participate in Project Law Track, girls 6th grade and older are required to complete an application, for which up to forty girls are chosen on a first come, first served basis.
In order to fulfill the goals of the program, Project Law Track is looking for female attorneys who would be interested in serving as mentors on Saturday, March 7, 2020. We would like to partner each girl participant with a female attorney who will work with her during the program, with particular emphasis on helping her prepare for her role in the mock trial, which is the capstone of the program. Each female attorney volunteer would attend the all-day session of Project Law Track on Saturday, March 7, 2020, to assist in preparing and supporting her mentee at the mock trial.
Attorneys who volunteer have an opportunity to meet and work with other talented attorneys from diverse backgrounds and interests connected by the shared desire to give of their time, advice, knowledge, and insights to girls who may be planning a career as an attorney or who are just curious about the field of law. In turn, the girls will broaden their understanding of what it means to be an attorney, experience the possibilities that are available to them by working side-by-side with female role models, interact with their peers and attorneys in preparing for a mock trial, and learn that there are women who care and want to help them explore their future career options.
The 2020 Girl Scouts Project Law Track Program will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at The John Marshall Law School, 315 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, Illinois 60604 and 3:15-6:00 p.m. at the Everett M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60604.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Erica Byrd, Garfield & Merel, at 312-288-0104 or via email at byrd@garfield-merel.com.
We promise it will be a rewarding experience! Thank you in advance for your consideration.