FLI 2006

Friday November 17, 2006 Seattle University School of Law
Hon. Fred Dore Courtroom, Sullivan Hall, Room 105, Seattle University
8:30am		Breakfast/Check-in
9:00am		The Role of Law
10:00am		Break
10:15am		Career Opportunities in the Law
11:15am		Administrative Break
11:30am		Bus to King County Courthouse
King County Courthouse
12:00pm		Lunch with Judges
1:15pm		Observing the Court in Action: Sentencing
2:30pm		Wrap-up
2:45pm		Buses return to schools
Saturday November 18, 2006 University of Washington School of Law
William H. Gates Hall, University of Washington School of Law
8:30am		Breakfast/Check-In (Room 133)
9:00am		Workshop Discussions: Protocol or Prejudice: Racial Profiling (Room 116) Blogging and the Law: Legal Issues Around Online Communities (Room 118) Youth at Work: Employment Discrimination Issues for Teens (Room 207)
10:00am		Break
10:20am		Workshop Discussions Pt. 2
10:30am		Parent Workshop (Room 117)
11:45am		Lunch and Mentor Introductions @ Mary Gates Hall
1:00pm		Mock Trial (Room 138)
3:00pm		Reception Finale/Wrap-Up
3:30pm		Buses return to schools

FLI 2005

View Program Details

Last year’s Institute was held in December 2005 and enrolled 59 students from 14 King County High Schools. The dynamic two-day program received positive feedback from students. The FLI Mentor Program expanded to include 24 mentors who met with their group of students throughout the year. The 2005 Institute was the first year to include a workshop for participants’ parents to learn about financial aid and how they can help prepare their students for higher education. The workshop was well attended and highly praised by parents.

The Role of the Law - This initial session provides a procedural/institutional context for the remainder of the program. Built around the story of an attorney representing a teenager facing a legal issue of interest to the group, lessons about the tri-part structure of our government, and the roles of the three basic levels of state and federal courts, are woven into the attorney’s decision-making process. Students then argue the opposing sides of the issue.

Career Opportunities in Law Panel – The panel presentation introduces students to range of careers in law – attorneys in various practice areas, court reporters, bailiff, investigators. Seeing themselves somewhere in the diverse backgrounds of the presenters, the students also are more likely to both follow such a career path, and to believe that it is possible for them.

Lunch with the Judges – Students eat lunch, informally talking with judges. Several judges then address the entire group, and tell their personal histories and paths towards becoming judges. In the process, the students come to realize that many of the judges come from backgrounds not different from their own. A formal question and answer session follows, in which the judges trade off answering questions which the individual students have written out prior to arriving at the courthouse.

Observing the Court in Action: Sentencing – Students meet with law professors from Seattle University and University of Washington, and through a hypothetical case, explore the bases for punishment. They then receive information about the current Washington sentencing system, and are given background information about a few of the actual sentencing cases they will observe. The students then go into the courtroom to observe sentencing, and return to discuss what they’ve seen in light of the previous discussion.

Workshop Discussion – Students attend two workshops of their choice (out of four which are offered). The workshops explore topics which are current and of interest to the students (e.g., locker searches, racial profiling). The presenters use a mix of lecture, debate, group work, and/or discussion to explore the topic.

Lunch with Mentors – Students meet with lawyers and judges who have agreed to be mentors for the duration of the school year. During lunch students and mentors will talk about their backgrounds and discuss plans for future meetings.

Mock Trial – As the name implies, this is a performance meant to replicate a jury trial, with the exception that the judge often breaks role to clarify what is occurring. After all evidence is presented, the students break into groups to discuss the case and determine a verdict.

Participating Schools

Federal Way School District
• Federal Way
• Truman

Highline School District
• Evergreen

Kent School District
• Kentridge

Marysville School District
• Marysville-Pilchuck

Renton School District
• Renton

Seattle School District
• Ballard
• Chief Sealth
• Franklin
• Garfield
• InterAgency Academy
• The Nova Project
• Rainier Beach