The Moot Court Board of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law of the University of Memphis is dedicated to recognizing and fostering excellence in both appellate and trial advocacy.  The Moot Court Board consists of twenty, third-year law students who the outgoing Board selects from the most qualified applicants.  The incoming board is announced during the spring semester prior to the Freshman Moot Court Competition. 

The Moot Court Board is primarily responsible for organizing and coordinating all intraschool competitions.  The Board also fields teams for interschool competitions.  The traveling teams have been consistently competitive with some of the most prestigious schools in the country and have proudly represent the University of Memphis every year. Moot Court spring travel teams had great success in 2011.

2012-2013 Executive Board:

• Angela Harris, Chief Justice
• Kenneth Walker II, Associate Chief Justice
• Julie Bigsby, Associate Justice for Advanced Moot Court
• Zachary Jones, Associate Justice for Mock Trial
• Jessie Chandler, Associate Justice for Freshman Moot Court

Faculty Advisor
Barbara Kritchevsky, Director of Advocacy

Standing from left: Jessie Chandler, Zachary Jones, Julie Bigsby. Seated from left: Kenneth Walker II and Angela Harris.

MOOT COURT SPRING SCHEDULE 2013

January

16: Interest Meeting for Mock Trial Competition

22: Competitor Writing Seminar/Workshop & Beginning of the Writing Period

24: Evidence in Action Seminar for the Mock Trial Competition (noon)

29: Sign-Up Deadline/ Writing Period Ends for the Mock Trial competition (nnon)

31: Competitor Trial Advocacy Seminar

February 

4: First Round of the Mock Trial Competition

19: MCB Interest Meeting (All eligible 2Ls are invited)

26: MCB Applications Due –email or paper

25/26: ABA Moot Court Travel Team Dress Rehearsal

27: Mediation Travel Team Dress Rehearsal

March

1: Final Round of the Mock Trial Competition

18: Start of Freshman Competition

April

5: Final Round of the Freshman Competition with Reception to Follow

Joining Moot Court Board

The outgoing Board selects from the twenty-five most qualified applicants in the second-year class.  Each candidate is required to sign a grade release form and submit a letter of interest.  Each candidate must have competed in at least two board-sponsored competitions and be in good academic standing (GPA 2.00 or above). Participation in board competitions involves being a trial or appellate advocate in an intra- or interschool competition. Serving as a bailiff and/or witness in moot court or mock trial competition does not satisfy moot court board eligibility requirements. 

Selection
Once candidates have submitted the grade release forms and letters of intent, their index scores are calculated.  An index score is calculated from the advocate's performance in intraschool and participation on traveling teams.  The score is based on oral and appellate brief/trial notebook scores in competitive intraschool competitions and round advancement. Applicants who competed on traveling teams receive a five point addition to the index score.  

Once the index scores are calculated, the Board elects twenty members from the top twenty-five index advocates. Each board member must be able to serve on the Moot Court Board for one full year. 

Membership
The members of the Moot Court Board are required to perform a variety of responsibilities.  The Board members judge rounds of the Advanced and Freshman moot court competitions.  Board members may also help judge the traveling teams during practice. 

Each board member who is not elected to an executive position serves on at least one committee.  The committees research and write the problems for the intraschool competitions, grade briefs and trial notebooks submitted by competitors, and arrange for outside judges for intraschool competitions. 

Credit for Graduation
Moot Court/Mock Trial In-School Competition Credit:  Students may receive one academic credit for successful completion of two in-school competitions (moot court or mock trial).  Students who successfully complete four competitions may receive two academic credits.  Students may register for credit after completing the required competitions or during their final semester of law school.

Moot Court Board Credit:  Members of the Moot Court Board may receive one academic credit on successful completion of their Moot Court Board obligations.  Members of the Moot Court Board Executive Board may receive two academic credits on successful completion of the Moot Court Board obligations. 

Interschool Competition Team Credit:  Students who are members of inter-school competition teams (moot court/mock trial/ADR) are eligible for one or two Advanced Appellate Advocacy or one Advanced Trial Advocacy credits.  Students must register for the relevant course with the permission of the Director of Advocacy.

Annual Calendar of Competitions

Fall
September - Advanced Moot Court Competition (intraschool)
November - National Moot Court Competition and ADA Arbitration Competition

Spring
January - Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition and Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition
February - National Mock Trial Competition and Mock Trial Competition (intraschool)
March - Wagner Labor Law Moot Court Competition, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Freshman Moot Court Competition (intraschool) and Duberstein Bankruptcy Law Moot Court Competition

Contact Moot Court Board
MootCourt@memphis.edu
Office: Memphis Law Moot Court Board, 1 N. Front St., Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: (901) 678-2679