THE LAWYER COMPETITION PROGRAM AT THE S.J. QUINNEY COLLEGE OF LAW
Professor James Holbrook, Faculty Adviser Carolynn Westenskow, Competition Coordinator In
2005, the S.J. Quinney College of Law formed the Lawyer Competition
Program (LCP) to serve as an umbrella organization to coordinate both
intramural and extramural competitions in which our students
participate, and to distribute information to students regarding
competitions. The LCP is supported by the Competitions Committee, an
advisory body consisting of students and faculty. This year's student
representatives are Rita Cornish (Class of 2006) and Derek Long (Class
of 2007).
Students typically receive one credit, pass-fail,
for their participation in a competition. Under the current policy,
students who advance to a second (i.e., national) round of a
competition and thereby engage in an additional 50+ hours of work may
receive one more credit.
Preference for participation in all
extramural competitions will be afforded to third-year students,
although second years are eligible for a number of the competitions
described below. Moreover, students are not entitled to participate in
more than one extramural competition in any single academic year. That
is, a student who participates in an extramural competition in her
second-year may be permitted to participate in another competition in
her third year with unanimous approval by the LCP, the Competitions
Committee and the faculty adviser to the applicable competition.
From
time to time, the Lawyer Competition Program and its advisory committee
may choose to enter teams in extramural competitions other than, or in
addition to, those listed below, with notice to be provided to students
in advance. If you have any questions about a particular competition,
please feel free to contact Professor Holbrook, Ms. Westenkow or the
faculty adviser for the competition in which you are interested.
I. Appellate Competitions
A. Intramural:
Traynor Moot Court Competition One Credit, Pass-Fail, Spring Semester Faculty Adviser: James Holbrook
Second
and third year students are eligible to enroll in the Traynor Moot
Court Competition, an intramural competition in which students write an
appellate brief and perform oral arguments based on a cutting-edge
legal problem. The problem is distributed in December and the
competition culminates during the spring semester in an argument
between the finalists (the top two teams of two students) in front of a
panel of three prominent judges, including our Distinguished
Jurist-in-Residence. The top six second year students in the Traynor
Moot Court Competition are invited to represent the SJQ in the national
moot court (NMC) Competition the following year. The third year
students serving on the NMC team for the school in any given year are
responsible for grading student briefs submitted for Traynor, and the
oral arguments during the preliminary and semi-final rounds are graded
by guest judges, i.e., members of the local bar and alumni.
B. Extramural:
National Moot Court One Credit, Pass-Fail, Fall Semester One Credit, Pass-Fail, Spring Semester Faculty Adviser/Contact Person: Daniel Medwed
As
indicated above, the top six student performers after the completion of
Traynor in the spring (the four finalists and two other students based
on scores) are asked to join the National Moot Court (NMC) team for the
following year's competition. The NMC students, in turn, are divided
into two teams of three. Each team usually receives the moot court
problem in September, and submits a completed brief by mid-October. The
students then prepare for oral arguments in the regional round of the
competition, slated for early to mid-November. Eight schools (16 teams)
participate in the regional round, and the top two teams advance to the
final round of the competition, which takes place in January or
February in New York City . For their work in the fall, each student
receives one credit, and is eligible for an additional credit upon
advancement to the national round. Members of the NMC team also receive
one credit for their role in the Traynor Competition in the spring
semester.
Pace Environmental Law Competition
One Credit, Pass-Fail, Spring Semester Faculty Adviser/Contact Person: Amy Wildermuth
For
many years, the law school has entered a team in the Pace Environmental
Law Competition. Students are selected based on a combination of (a)
demonstrated interest, commitment, and ability in the area of
environmental law and (b) previous moot court experience, such as
participation in Traynor. Please note that second and third year
students are eligible for participation, although preference will be
given to third years. Moreover, participation in Traynor is not a
prerequisite, but may be a factor in the selection process.
Jessup International Law Competition
One Credit, Pass-Fail, Spring Semester Faculty Adviser/Contact Person: Tony Anghie
Students
are selected based on a combination of (a) demonstrated interest,
commitment, and ability in the area of international law and (b)
previous moot court experience, such as participation in Traynor.
Please note that both second and third year students are eligible for
participation, although preference will be given to third-years.
Moreover, participation in Traynor is not a prerequisite, but may be a
factor in the selection process.
Giles Sutherland Rich Patent Law Competition
One Credit, Pass-Fail, Spring Semester Faculty Adviser/Contact Person: Hillary Greene
A
consortium of Utah law firms sponsors our participation in a national
patent law competition called Giles Sutherland Rich Competition. Any
interested second and third year students may participate. This
competition is supervised by the faculty adviser in conjunction with
local patent attorneys and our Student Intellectual Property
Association (SIPLA).
I. Extramural Trial Competition:
National Trial Advocacy Team
One Credit, Pass-Fail, Fall Semester Faculty Adviser: Greg Skordas Contact Person: Trina Rich
Student
participation in the National Trial Advocacy extramural competition
stems from their performance in the trial advocacy course, which many
students take in the spring of their second year and which is taught by
Jim Holbrook, Greg Skordas, and a handful of adjuncts. Four second year
students from the course are invited to join the national team in the
fall of their third year; they are chosen from among the students who
had the highest grades in the previous spring semester, and who also
receive favorable recommendations from their small group adjunct
professors.
III. Extramural Lawyering Skills
Negotiation Competition
One Credit, Pass-Fail, Fall Semester Faculty Adviser: James Holbrook / Linda Smith Contact Person: Trina Rich
The
SJQ sends two teams of two students each to the Negotiation Competition
in the fall semester. Professors Linda Smith and Jim Holbrook identify
candidates from those who have taken the lawyering skills and advanced
negotiation/mediation courses and also a relevant clinic. They look at
grades, interest, and demonstrated competence in the skills needed in
the respective competitions; in addition, student interest
in/commitment to ADR skills and career paths are also factors.
Diversity is considered whenever possible, and students who have been
in another interscholastic competition are not selected.
Mediation Competition
One Credit, Pass-Fail, Spring Semester Faculty Adviser: James Holbrook / Linda Smith Contact Person: Trina Rich
The
SJQ fields two teams of two students each to the Mediation Advocacy
Competition in the spring semester, and utilizes precisely the same
criteria described above with respect to the Negotiation Competition.