Moot Court

Spring semester, first-year students take the Moot Court class and learn complex legal research, persuasive legal writing, and effective oral argument.

Moot Court Classes

Moot Court topics are chosen from real cases pending before an appellate court or a supreme court. The students work with an actual record, research the law, and write an appellate brief on behalf of one of the parties. The experience culminates in a formal oral argument before a three-judge panel. Students list preferences for their Moot Court topic at the conclusion of the first semester, choosing among at least a dozen options, and the Moot Court Department assigns topics that correspond to student choices.

Moot Court Board

Successful completion of the Appellate Advocacy class entitles second- and third-year students to join the Moot Court Board. Moot Court Board members:

• Act as teaching assistants in both the first-year Moot Court classes and the Appellate Advocacy classes
• Attend organizational and informational meetings
• Hold office hours and provide personal assistance to students enrolled in Moot Court and Appellate Advocacy
• Serve as coaches for oral arguments

Moot Court Competition Team

Hastings participates in numerous intercollegiate Moot Court competitions covering a wide range of current legal issues. Last year, Hastings' overall rating for competition teams was second in the country according to the national moot court competition website LawSchoolAdvocacy.com.

Achievements of the 2008-09 Hastings Moot Court Competition Team included:

• Winning the National Championship at the UC Davis Immigration & Asylum Law Competition
• Winning the Regional Championship at the Stetson International Environmental Law Competition
• Winning two Regional Championships at the National Appellate Advocacy Competition
• Second Place in the World in International Competition
• Runner-Up, Jerome Prince Evidence Competition
• Runner-Up, Traynor California Law Competition
• Semifinalists, National Criminal Procedure Competition
• Semifinalists, Thomas Tang Competition (Regional)
• Semifinalists, Pepperdine Entertainment Law Competition
• Semifinalists, Houston National Moot Court Championship
• Semifinalists, Whittier National Juvenile Law Competition
• Semifinalists, Saul Lefkowitz Trademark Competition
• Semifinalists, Cardozo Communications & Entertainment Law Competition
• Seven Oral Advocate Awards
• Eight Brief Awards

Competition team members are selected from open tryouts held in the spring. The student team members are selected on the basis of resume, writing sample, a 5 minute oral argument, and a short interview. Hastings Moot Court competition team members receive two units for their participation. Hastings pays all travel costs, including airfare, food and hotel, for competitions held outside of the Bay Area.

More than 200 students try out for Intercollegiate Competition teams each year. Moot Court competitions are a popular practical training experience in the Hastings curriculum because they provide excellent experience in legal research, analysis, writing, and oral advocacy, good contacts in the legal community, resume value, and a great sense of accomplishment, teamwork, and school spirit.

Hastings has one of the most successful and most well-respected Moot Court programs in the United States. The success of the Moot Court competition teams continues to add to the tradition of excellence that is synonymous with Hastings.

During 2009-2010, Hastings is competing in 19 Moot Court competitions, both regional and national, throughout the United States. We are enjoying another year of remarkable success thanks to our hardworking and extremely talented students, adjunct faculty, coaches and judges, who are active participants in training and supporting our student competitors at every level.

Hastings has established itself as a Moot Court competition winner and we will continue to build on its reputation as a powerhouse in Moot Court and a prominent training ground for future litigators!

To make a donation to the Moot Court Program:

• Make an online gift.
  • Enter your gift amount and click the "Submit" button.
  • If the information displayed is correct, click the "Checkout" button.
  • To ensure that your donation reaches us, please type "Moot Court" in the comment box.
  • Fill in the remaining information and click "Submit".
• Send a check, indicating that the contribution is for the Moot Court Program, to:
  UC Hastings College of the Law
  Alumni Center
  Department 34063
  P.O. Box 39000
  San Francisco, CA 94139-0001
  • Gifts made payable to UC Hastings College of the Law are tax deductible.  The tax ID number is 94-2581680.
  • Questions?  If you have questions regarding your contribution to Hastings, please call the Hastings Alumni Center at 415.565.4665.
• Donate your time!  Alumni participation is needed for:
  • Judges for first-year Moot Court oral arguments, second-year Appellate Advocacy arguments, and practice arguments for competition teams.
  • Sponsors for Moot Court competition teams.
  • Coaches for Moot Court competition teams.
  • Community panel speakers.
  • Sponsors for the annual Moot Court Awards Banquet and other Moot Court events.

Contact:
Toni Young, Director

415.565.4729

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS AND CONTINUING SUPPORT!!!