University of Utah : S.J. Quinney College of Law

Moot Court

Tags:academic moot court 

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.