Judge Sam H. Bell Trial Advocacy Program

You are invited to participate in new program that the law school is developing in honor of The Honorable Sam H. Bell, the first Akron Law graduate to become a federal judge. Judge Bell was highly respected, even beloved, in the legal community.  Judge Bell served for many years as a trial judge in both state and federal court. He was deeply committed to improving the quality of advocacy at the trial court level.  The Judge Sam H. Bell Trial Advocacy Program will offer a unique educational opportunity for mid-career trial attorneys to achieve that goal.

The Program’s inaugural offering will focus on the jury system, including the selection of jurors. The lawyers involved in the program will conduct actual jury selection as if they were in court. In courtrooms presided over by Judge Taryn Heath of the Stark County Court of Common Pleas and Judges Patricia Cosgrove (retired) and Thomas Teodosio of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, the lawyers will question prospective jurors and make arguments to the judges as they would in actual trials.

To provide this valuable training experience, we need some jurors. That’s where the opportunity for Akron Law students comes in.  The jury selection practicum will take place in the Summit County Courthouse on Thursday, May 10, 2012, at 1-4 p.m.

Students participating in this program will receive three hours counting toward their general community service graduation requirement.

If you would like to participate, please contact Shannon Aupperle (sfauppe@uakron.edu) no later than April 30.