UPLIFT Legal Institute for Teens is seeking law students to coach middle schoolers and facilitate sessions about the criminal legal and trial systems. This nonprofit after-school pipeline program seeks to increase access to the legal profession for youth that reflect the full diversity of the Twin Cities. UPLIFT Students get to see themselves as lawyers by learning about criminal trials and presenting a full mock trial in front of a real judge.
Sign up here!
What You Will Do
Teach about the criminal legal system, trials, and trial skills using prepared curriculum about trial
procedures, facts of the case, and roles. (Enrollment in or completion of Evidence course or prior mock trial
experience is helpful but not required.)
Guide a mock trial team, alongside attorney coaches, through trial techniques, draft examinations, and
prepare statements to present their case-in-chief
Maintain communication with assigned attorney coaches, students, and UPLIFT leaders
Serve as a mentor to foster students’ academic, career, and problem-solving skills
Your Commitment
October-March.
A two-hour practice on either Monday (Roseville), Tuesday (St. Louis Park), or Wednesday (Columbia Heights) after school, plus prep time, for a total of approximately 5 hours per week.
Mandatory workshop in October for curriculum training.
Why Volunteer with Us
Embark on a rewarding journey that enriches students’ lives and elevates your legal future:
Network: Connect with volunteer lawyers spanning private practice, in-house counsel, judges, and public
service, for lasting career relationships.
Sharpen Your Leadership: Motivate, guide, and present, deepening essential leadership traits.
Master Communication: Explain intricate legal concepts, refining verbal and written skills.
Community Impact: Contribute to students’ legal literacy, be a role model, and nurture students’ academic
potential to invigorate their future.
Sign up here or contact MJF Staff Attorney, Anna Berglund, at mitchellhamline@mnjustice.org