At Bye, Goff & Rohde, we believe that the future of the legal profession — and of our community — depends on investing in the next generation. For the attorneys at our firm, that belief isn’t just a talking point. It’s a commitment that shows up every week at River Falls High School, where our team has spent decades helping high school students discover their voices in the courtroom.
23 Years of Coaching, One Student at a Time
Managing Partner and Attorney Tracy Tool has coached the River Falls High School Mock Trial team for 23 years — a remarkable tenure that reflects a deep personal commitment to legal education and youth development. What keeps him coming back year after year? The students themselves.
“To see the hard work pay off, get to state, get better, build skills to be able to use throughout their lives — that is really a rich part of working with these young people,” Tracy said of this year’s team, which he described as particularly impressive in their ability to improve over the course of the season. “We have a lot of seniors who have put good amounts of their young lives into this activity for a few years.”
Tracy is joined this season by fellow attorneys Cristina Kerr and Robert Parsons, along with Legal Intern Pari Schils and River Falls High School teacher Heather Boleman. Together, since October 2025, they have worked with a select group of students to prepare them for one of the most competitive academic tournaments in Wisconsin.
From Regional Champions to the State Stage
On February 7, 2026, the River Falls team traveled to Eau Claire and won the Regional Tournament — a milestone that earned them a coveted spot at the State Tournament. For anyone familiar with Eau Claire personal injury law and litigation, the case this year’s students tackled will feel especially relevant: the mock trial is based on a fictitious personal injury lawsuit in which plaintiff Regan Kazoo, the President and Executive Director of Freedom for Ostriches, Wisconsin (FFOW), sues Wisconsin Ostriches Farm and Fun, Inc. (WOFF) and its insurer after a rogue ostrich escaped its enclosure, broke into Kazoo’s home, and caused serious physical injuries. The case raises issues of negligence, premises liability, and insurance coverage — the very building blocks of real-world personal injury litigation.
This weekend, March 6–7, 2026, the team competes at the Wisconsin State Tournament in Madison, with the Final Round scheduled for March 8, 2026. If they advance, they will represent Wisconsin at the National Championship in Des Moines, Iowa, May 7–9, 2026. Read more about the Wisconsin Mock Trial program on the State Bar of Wisconsin site.
What Makes The 2026 Team Special
All four coaches pointed to qualities that go well beyond legal knowledge. Attorney Robert Parsons was struck by the team’s intellectual humility and creativity: “They’re constantly learning, constantly improving, taking our feedback, but also thinking outside of the box and doing whatever they can to present the best case that they can.”
Attorney Cristina Kerr highlighted the team’s courage under pressure: “I am most impressed with this year’s team’s ability to rise to the occasion — willing to be vulnerable, willing to take risks, and willing to accept feedback and try new things.”
For Legal Intern Pari Schils — herself a River Falls Mock Trial alumna who was coached by many of the same mentors now on the sideline with her — returning to coach this group has been a full-circle experience. “It’s been really cool to come back this year and see these kids and the positive energy that they bring to every single practice,” she said. “This activity gets very competitive, and it’s easy to get down on yourselves, but they never did that.”
Why Education and Young Leadership Mentorship Matters
The Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Program has been bringing the court system to life for students since 1983. Using case materials developed by Wisconsin attorneys, students learn to analyze evidence, present testimony, argue their assigned roles, and receive feedback from practicing attorneys and judges — skills that serve them for a lifetime, whether they go on to law school or not.
At Bye, Goff & Rohde, this kind of community investment is central to who we are. We are proud to stand behind the River Falls Mock Trial team as they compete this weekend in Madison — and we’re proud of every student who has walked through a courtroom door because someone took the time to show them what was possible.
Go River Falls!