Programs for Schools

The Franklin County Bar Association offers two specific programs for local schools: Law Day and Stepping Out.

Law Day

Our Law Day program is held at the Franklin County Courthouse on the first Friday in May, and is aimed at middle school and high school-age students. The morning-long program features a mock trial in which students act as jurors. Attorneys from the bar association serve as prosecutors, defense attorneys, victims, defendants and witnesses. The students deliver a verdict based on the evidence presented.

Law Day is celebrated nationally on May 1. President Dwight D. Eisenhower created Law Day in 1958 as a day to reflect on our country’s legal heritage. As the American Bar Association notes, “Our legal system makes the great guarantees of our Constitution not just high-sounding abstractions, but legally enforceable rights.”

Stepping Out

Stepping Out is a program aimed at high school seniors who are getting ready to “step out” into the world. Attorneys from the bar association go into local schools to discuss the legal rights and responsibilities seniors have as they make the transition to adulthood. This program is offered throughout the school year.

Other Programs

The Franklin County Bar Association can provide schools with attorneys who will discuss the profession of law at career day programs; talk with students in any age group about specific areas of the law; and much more.

For additional information on Law Day and Stepping Out or to arrange for a speaker for a class or career day program, call the bar association office at 717-267-2032 or contact us by email.