Feinberg & Waller seeks marginalized high school students interested in law

Feinberg & Waller APC is looking for high school juniors in marginalized groups who are interested in law for a Mock Trial Leadership Award.

Sept. 30 is the deadline to enter the second year of the Constitutional Rights Foundation Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition. The program run by the nonprofit, nonpartisan educational foundation lets students network with attorneys through mentoring and mock trials, and learn about law, presentation and courtroom etiquette. Winners will receive $500 for competition related expenses, a college letter of recommendation and other commemorative awards.

Mock trial judges are repeatedly impressed with students’ performance, said Marshall W. Waller, a shareholder with the Southern California matrimonial law firm, who founded the award along with his wife, general counsel and shareholder Mary E. Waller, and his daughter, Lauren W. Waller, social media and marketing coordinator. “You’ll hear practicing attorneys from the DA’s office, public defender’s office, who will say, ‘I wish my brand-new associate attorneys were as well prepared, articulate and made presentations as well as you guys do’,” Waller said.

“One of my very first students from mock trial, who was on the first team with my son in high school, is now an associate attorney working with me,” Waller said, referring to attorney Hunter A. McMillan.

The award targets marginalized high school students, such as those who are disabled or LGBTQ, and allies of those groups.

“We’re trying to target people in our society that we think are not given the same opportunities others are,” Waller said. He has a call to action for other attorneys and firms: “Reach out to help marginalized students in our society. I think that the more attention that we can give to these people that need our help, the better … because if we don’t help, who will?”

The firm’s Beverly Hills office is at 9440 Santa Monica Blvd.More information and details about the program can be found at www.feinbergwaller.com