Moot Court Honors Program

Moot Court Honors Council

The Moot Court Honors Council is a candidacy program. During the semester of candidacy, members assist the Executive Board by helping bailiff and manage Herzog rounds, complete administrative duties, and staff the Moot Court office two hours per week. Students are eligible to become members of the Honors Council if they are in the top 33 percent of their class (after completing at least 25, but fewer than 38 hours) and have completed the Herzog competition with a grade of B or better. Herzog semifinalists are also eligible to participate in Moot Court Council regardless of class rank. After completing the candidacy semester, council members are eligible to apply for a position on the Executive Board or continue involvement as a Council Member.

Activities

Moot Court Mentoring Program

In Fall 2008 the Moot Court Honors Program established the Moot Court Mentorship Program as a way to work with and give back to the community. Drawing upon cornerstones of the Moot Court Honors Program, oral advocacy and writing skills, the Mentorship Program works with Chicago public high school students on their college entrance essays and preparing them for life after high school. In the fall the Mentorship Program holds sessions by appointment during which high school students meet with Moot Court students to review their college admissions essays. In the spring, the Mentorship program works with students to improve their oral advocacy skills. Currently, the Mentorship Program works with students from Noble Street Charter School and Kelley High School in Chicago and is looking to expand further. Since its inception the Mentorship Program has helped many students put the finishing touches on their essays resulting in admission to college and multiple scholarship awards for the students.

If you are interested in learning more about the program or are interested in helping with it please contact Linda McHugh.

1L Moot Court Competition

During the week of August 17, the Moot Court Executive Board will proudly host its First Annual 1L Moot Court Competition. All students with a May 2011 or later anticipated graduation date (who have not competed in the Herzog competition) are invited to participate; however, the competition will be limited to the first 50 teams of two to enter. (If you do not have a partner, we will assign one to you.)

All teams will receive training on the art of appellate advocacy throughout the week of August 10, 2009. The participants will receive 4:00 p.m. lectures from Monday through Friday and then meet with student teaching assistants (approximately 2-3 teams per assistant) for the remaining hour. The competition will focus exclusively on oral advocacy. If the teams advance, they will argue both sides of two issues. There will be no brief written in support of a position.

The participants will meet on August 10 and receive a copy of the problem along with a designation of the side they will argue in the first round. The problem will include legal support for the assertions. The participants are limited to arguing only the support listed within the problem. No outside support will be allowed.

The problem with encompass two issues. Each team member will argue one of the issues. Each side is given one-half hour to argue. It will be up to each member to determine how much time (including rebuttal arguments) to allot. However, each participant must argue for a minimum of 10 minutes.

After a preliminary round, the teams will be ranked and the top 16 teams will advance to the octo-final round. The first ranked team will compete against the 16th ranked team, the second ranked team will compete against the 15th ranked team, and so on. The "winners" from each courtroom will then advance to the quarter-final rounds. The same head-to-head contest will continue throughout the quarter-final, semi-final, and final rounds.

Prizes will be awarded for Best Oralist (determined during the preliminary round), Best Team (also determined during the preliminary round), runner-up team, and winning team. Bragging rights go to all who participate. See 2009 Results!

If you have questions about the competition or how to get involved please contact Linda McHugh.

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