CHICAGO — November 7, 2026. Next weekend, Trent A. McCain, Esq. trades the counsel table for the bench. McCain will serve as a volunteer judge at Empire Chicago: The World Championship, the high school mock trial competition hosted by Empire Mock Trial at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave., November 13–16, 2026.
Empire Chicago is the big one. Last year’s championship drew 43 teams and more than 600 students from 17 states, the District of Columbia and overseas, judged and scored by more than 150 volunteers from the legal community. Every team argues an original case written for the season. Each trial opens with an oral argument on a motion that shapes what evidence comes in, and each school must direct-examine a “guest witness” from another team after only twenty minutes of preparation. It is as close to a real courtroom as a high school student can get.
McCain is scheduled for Round 2 on Saturday, November 14, Round 4 on Sunday, November 15, and will return Monday morning, November 16, for the Championship Round.
“Twenty-four years ago, somebody gave me my first shot in a courtroom. These students are standing up, thinking on their feet and making arguments in front of strangers — some of them for the first time. The least I can do is give them a fair hearing and honest feedback. That’s what a judge owes anybody who walks into the room.” — Trent A. McCain, Esq.
A graduate of Gary West Side High School, McCain began his legal career in Chicago and has practiced law for 24 years in Indiana and Illinois, served a decade as a Commissioner on the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission, and previously served as Corporation Counsel and Deputy Mayor for the City of Gary. He now practices from offices in Homewood, Illinois and Gary, Indiana as Retain McCain™ · McCain Law Offices, serving clients across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.
Lawyers, judges and law students: they still need you. Empire Chicago runs on volunteer judges and scoring jurors, and no mock trial experience is required — a short orientation, an evaluator’s guide and free parking at the hotel are provided, and Illinois attorneys can earn optional MCLE ethics credit at the pre-trial workshops. Sign up at empiremocktrial.org/judge-chicago.
Trent A. McCain, Esq. is the managing attorney of McCain Law Offices, LLC, doing business as Retain McCain™, with offices at 17475 Jovanna Dr., Ste. 161C, Homewood, IL 60430, (708) 400-2552, and 363 S. Lake St., Gary, IN 46403, (219) 677-0645. Attorney advertising.
