The nomination ballot will be included in your team’s registration packet and will need to be completed and returned to your Presiding Judge at the end of the 4th Round. Criteria for this award are described in full on the other side of the ballot.
About the Award
The Larry Bakko Professionalism and Civility Award is sponsored by the National High School Mock Trial Championship and was created to highlight the importance of professionalism among teams participating in our national tournament while honoring Larry Bakko’s passion and dedication for Mock Trial.
The Team Professionalism Award nomination ballot will be included in your team’s registration packet on Saturday morning. During the competition day on Saturday, your team and coaches will observe other participating teams and, using a subjective process, will nominate another team to be considered for the Larry Bakko Professionalism and Civility Award. Teams may take into account the behavior of students, coaches and spectators associated with other teams when making a nomination for this award.
Teams may not campaign for this award. When discussing this award with students, we hope that coaches will emphasize the importance of professional behavior inside and outside the courtroom on competition day. The discussion of this award will provide you with an excellent opportunity to review the Code of Ethical Conduct and the Rules of the Competition that deal with ethics and decorum. We also believe discussions about this award provide coaches with the opportunity to discuss the high standards of professionalism attorneys are held to as members of the Bar.
The qualities that teams nominated for the award must demonstrate include:
- A professional demeanor
- Civility
- Integrity
- Honesty
- Fair play
- Respect for the court
- Respect for opposing counsel
- Respect for the client
Each team must submit one team ballot nominating another team for the Award. A team may not nominate itself. A team may nominate another team that they competed against in one of the 2 preliminary Rounds on Saturday, or not, as it sees fit. The NHSMTC Board of Directors will not recommend a particular process by which each team determines their nomination, but suggests that coaches take student input into account when completing the nomination ballot. How a team reaches the decision to nominate another team for this award is completely within the purview of that team.
The team receiving this award will be recognized at the Saturday Awards Gala and will receive a trophy.
All ballots are due to the Presiding Judge at the end of Round 4. Ballots will be submitted to the courtroom liaison and turned in with the scoresheets. Do not leave your Round 4 courtroom before submitting the ballot. For questions regarding this award, contact the NHSMTC Board BEFORE the national competition begins.
Thank you.