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Copyright © 2007
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
300 South Capitol Avenue
Lansing, Michigan 48901
(517) 371-5140
 Thomas M. Cooley Law School 300 South Capitol Avenue Post Office Box 13038 Lansing, MI 48901 (517) 371-5140 Ext. 4507 mootcourt@cooley.edu
OverviewThe Moot Court Board provides students the opportunity to experience and develop their appellate advocacy skills in an active learning environment. There are many ways that the Moot Court Board helps students achieve these skills. Every term, the organization is responsible for facilitating the following programs:
Please contact the Moot Court Board (mootcourt@cooley.edu) for more information regarding any of the programs listed above. Membership & BylawsMoot Court Board Bylaws - Modified Michaelmas Term 2007 (PDF) To be eligible for the Moot Court Board, each prospective board member must be in good standing, as defined by the conditions set forth by the law school. In addition, each prospective member must either be currently enrolled or have successfully completed the Intra-School Moot Court class. To be eligible for membership for the upcoming term, applications must be turned in during this term’s review week. Applications are available at the Moot Court Board office. For students not yet eligible to become members of the Moot Court Board, they may still benefit from the organization by participating in any of its first-year programs. As a member of the Moot Court Board, you must take part in any one of the following committees:
First-Year InvolvementFirst Year Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition One of the ways that the Moot Court Board helps students achieve advocacy skills is by sponsoring the First-Year Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition. This competition allows students currently enrolled in Criminal Procedure the chance to argue legal issues at the “U.S. Supreme Court” level in front of a panel of “Supreme Court Justices.” The legal issues chosen for the competition have been or will be discussed in the lecture. The competition only requires that the students make their oral arguments against other competitors in an elaborate series of competition rounds. Please note that research and briefs are not a requisite for this competition. All competitors argue at least one preliminary round. Then, the field of competitors is narrowed down for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final round. After the final round, the winning team is announced. In addition, awards are given out to the top ten best advocates in recognition for their hard work. In addition to gaining an understanding of appellate advocacy, involvement in the competition assists students in deciding if appellate advocacy is right for them; builds the student’s confidence in public speaking; enhances the student’s verbal skills; and prepares students for the final exam by better preparing them to tackle the main legal issues. You will also get the chance to meet great people. But more importantly, it will improve the appearance of your resume. The preliminary rounds will take place on Week 9 of the semester. Please note that workshops will be held a few weeks before the competition to assist students in preparing their oral arguments. The date and time of these workshops are posted on the 2nd floor bulletin board. The Moot Court Board welcomes you to register for the First-Year Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition. Live up to the challenge! Make your educational experience at Thomas M. Cooley Law School a memorable one. We hope to hear from you! Moot Court Bailiff Program This program gives first- and second-year students an inside look at what the Intra-School Moot Court class is like by allowing them to act as bailiffs for the First-Year Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition. As a bailiff, the student will introduce the judges at the beginning of each round and time the competitors throughout the competition. This program gives students an inside look at what the Intra-School Moot Court class is like. This experience may also help students prepare for future competitions, and it requires very little time commitment. In addition to gaining experience, you will meet some really great people. Intra-School Moot Court Class and CompetitionThe Thomas M. Cooley Law School Intra-School Competition is a required component of the Intra-School Moot Court class, which counts as 3 credits. Students who are enrolled in the Intra-School Moot Court class write a brief in conformity with the United States Supreme Court Rules, and they argue "on-brief" and "off-brief" before a panel of local attorneys, judges, and law school professors. The Intra-School Moot Court students attend several practice rounds that are conducted by the Moot Court Board members. This is the Intra-School Moot Court students' opportunity to receive constructive criticism from seasoned moot court students. Also, the students are able to view their performance on videotape so that they are able to see their mistakes. National CompetitionCooley Law School sends students across the United States to compete with other law school students. How can I participate on a National Moot Court Team? Who is eligible to audition?
Auditions generally occur during Week 13 of Trinity and Michaelmas Terms. All students are eligible to apply to the Moot Court Board. For more information, please contact Professor Tombers (tomberse@cooley.edu) The national competitions that Cooley’s National Teams have competed in include:
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