• Sponsor Poster, Essay, Video or other Contests

Schedule local deadline before or after statewide contest deadline
Forward all or top local entries on to state contest
Other contest ideas: coloring, photo, rap, student-written mock trials, Law Day Fair

• Law Day Open House or Courthouse Tour

Invite classes (or one grade only) to tour building and have offices explain what they do
Hold the open house in the evening, encourage children to bring parents, combine with demonstration of mock trial

• Field trip for students to court to observe trials in progress

• For high school students, organize a panel discussion with the district attorney, public defender and individuals who have been convicted of crimes (Oklahoma County Bar Association sponsors this project.)

• Mock Trials in Courtroom with local attorneys and judges participating with local attorneys and judges participating

Examples: Put a teacher on trial for giving too much homework or a student for talking too much, or physical education coach for making students run too many laps.  OBA Law Related Education Department has free scripts of trials for all grades, including kindergarten

• Lawyer in the Classroom discussing law as a career, our rights and responsibilities as citizens, etc. (Can obtain handout materials from OBA or ABA) Could be at a schoolwide career day assembly discussing law as a career, our rights and responsibilities as citizens, etc. (Can obtain handout materials from OBA or ABA) Could be at a schoolwide career day assembly

Speak to high school students about their legal rights & responsibilities when they turn 18

• Judge in the Classroom

Invite judges to classes or community groups to discuss their role in our justice system

• Mock Trial in Classroom - Students participate as attorneys, jurors, witnesses - Students participate as attorneys, jurors, witnesses

(OBA/Law Related Education Dept. has sample Mock Trials for different grade levels)

• Forum in the Classroom

Using the town hall meeting format students could hold a forum on a current or historical topic by taking roles representing various positions on the topic and engaging in an orderly discussion. Lawyers, judges and other community representatives can participate as guest speakers, advisors or observers of the forum. A sample forum topic could be-- the restriction some shopping malls have placed on students coming to the mall in large groups. Some malls now require the presence of an adult; others do not permit students to enter in groups after a certain time. Malls have taken these actions in order to protect other shoppers.

• Coordinate with local teachers to award Good Citizenship ribbons or tee shirts to elementary students

• Work with local teachers to award Outstanding Civics or Social Studies students

• Lawyer for a Day - High school seniors shadow an attorney and/or judge for a day or afternoon to experience what it really means to be a lawyer - High school seniors shadow an attorney and/or judge for a day or afternoon to experience what it really means to be a lawyer

• Drunk Driving Awareness project at local high school project at local high school

(For high school seniors.) Involve local law enforcement to give talks, show films of accidents or present a wrecked vehicle to emphasize the dangers of drinking while intoxicated. Or have a victim of a drunk driver speak, etc.

• Arrange for juvenile offenders to share their experiences with their peers about what they've learned the hard way

• Speak to adult learners enrolled in literacy, English as a second language, graduate equivalency degree (GED programs). Focus can be on Constitutional rights, duties of citizenship, etc.

• Law Day "Run for Justice" Fundraiser to benefit a local nonprofit organization

(Both Cleveland County and Tulsa County Bar Associations sponsor a fun run offering cash prizes, tee shirts, etc.)

• Sponsor Golf Tournament Fundraiser Fundraiser

Use proceeds to benefit a worthy cause or for prize money for county poster, essay, and video contests. (Pottawatomie County sponsors an annual golf tournament.)

• Hold a Law Fair at the local Mall or other high traffic area

(Tulsa County Bar Association has an annual law fair at Woodland Hills Mall)
Can be one county bar booth or several community service organization-sponsored booths
Booths involving-- fingerprinting, voter registration, rape crisis prevention, domestic violence centers, teen pregnancy shelters, drug awareness organizations, DARE program

• Finger printing of youth at local courthouse of youth at local courthouse

• Voter registration drive

• Worksite based lunch time presentations on practical legal issues such as writing a will, landlord/tenant law, when and how to use a lawyer and how to find one, buying and selling a home, credit & bankruptcy. Contact large employers in your area. Employees provide their own brown bag lunches and enjoy the convenience of not having to leave the workplace. The purpose is to provide information, not to solicit potential clients such as writing a will, landlord/tenant law, when and how to use a lawyer and how to find one, buying and selling a home, credit & bankruptcy. Contact large employers in your area. Employees provide their own brown bag lunches and enjoy the convenience of not having to leave the workplace. The purpose is to provide information, not to solicit potential clients

• Speak at Senior Citizen Centers

OBA has for sale pamphlets on wills, probate, joint tenancy, advance directives, etc.

• Plan a free seminar to educate the public on specific practical law issues like owning private property or landlord/tenant rights

• Contact community civic and professional organizations and offer to provide attorneys to speak at meetings on practical law issues.

• Naturalization ceremonies

Call attention to civic rights and duties and witness new Americans pursuing their dreams by hosting a swearing-in service. Ask new citizens to explain why they've chosen U.S. Citizenship.

• Participate in Ask A Lawyer Call-in project

Recruit attorneys to staff phone(s) locally for at least one hour during OETA Ask-A-Lawyer program or for several hours throughout the day giving free legal advice to residents

• Arrange to do a radio or cable TV talk show or be a guest on an existing show. Select a topic that will click with the audience. Practical law issues such as how to buy and sell a house or when to draw up a living will, could be of great interest to your community.

• Develop and distribute resource guides, including addresses and phone numbers for community services such as women's shelters, literacy groups or victim's assistance programs.

• Chili Cook-off

Individual attorneys or law firms, compete for top chili chef or costume award. (Blaine County Bar Association has sponsored chili cookoffs.)

• Sponsor Golf Tournament Fundraiser Fundraiser

(For a worthy cause or for prize money for locally sponsored poster, essay, and video contests)

• Law Day luncheon

Present Liberty Bell Award to a nonlawyer or lay organization who has given outstanding community service by promoting a better understanding of the law. Or make the event a community mini-forum on justice issues. Each lawyer bringing one non lawyer guest.

• Recruit a group of lawyers to help a nonprofit organization build a house, serve food to the homeless, paint a needy older person's home or other hands-on project (great opportunity for professional image building).