Moot Court is a distinguishing honor unique to law school. As a Moot Court participant, you will get the opportunity to showcase your advocacy skills in front of judges and practicing attorneys, compete with law students across the country, and receive feedback. The problems presented in Moot Court are not simple. They are complex and unresolved, presenting students with an opportunity to advocate for novel and creative legal positions.
The UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law Moot Court is the only student-run organization devoted to excellence in appellate advocacy. Moot Court competitors draft appellate briefs to a mock United States Supreme Court in teams of two and argue the matter orally in a National Competition against other law schools around the country. Competitors also participate in an intramural competition held by the UNH Law Moot Court. These two competitions will test the 1L year skills of legal research, writing, and oral argument.
Moot Court applications and tryouts occur during the end of each spring semester. Rising 2Ls and 3Ls may apply to compete on a Moot Court team. To apply, students must complete Legal Analysis and Writing (LAW) I and be enrolled in LAW II. Furthermore, applicants must enroll in Appellate Advocacy for the coming fall and any substantive courses related to their specific competition.
The Moot Court Advisory Board evaluates and selects 2 applicants for each team through a try-out process consisting of three parts:
- a 10-minute oral argument on the issue presented in LAW II;
- the competitor’s grades received in Legal Research, LAW I, and LAW II; and
- the competitor’s LAW II Memorandum supporting or opposing Summary Judgment.
For successful completion of the Moot Court program, students receive 2.0 credits during the semester of their national competition under a O/S/U grading scheme and the ability to list their participation in the program on their legal resumes.
Explore Moot Court
Students who participate in moot court competitions gain skills in both written and oral advocacy. Students can:
- Request a specific competition, including:
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Procedure
- Health Law
- Patent Law
- Trademarks
- Seek advice from their coach, the Chief Justice, and the Moot Court Faculty Advisor
- Do the research, writing, and practice necessary to professionally present a persuasive argument to a panel of judges
- Gain experience advocating in front of NH State Court judges and practicing attorneys
- Receive feedback on their written and oral advocacy skills
- Apply for a position on the Moot Court Advisory Board following their year of participation. Roles include Chief Justice and one coach per team.
Appellate Moot Court Competitions
Evan A. Evans Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition (Madison, Wis.)
National Constitutional Law Moot Court competition sponsored by the University of Wisconsin
Herbert Weschler National Criminal Moot Court Competition (Buffalo, N.Y.)
National Criminal Moot Court competition sponsored by the University at Buffalo School of Law.
National Health Law Moot Court Competition (Carbondale, Ill.)
National Health Law Moot Court competition sponsored by the SIU Center for Health Law and Policy, the SIU School of Medicine’s Department of Medical Humanities, the American College of Medicine, and the American College of Legal Medicine Foundation
Giles S. Rich Memorial Moot Court Competition (Boston, Mass.)
National Patent and Intellectual Property Law Moot Court competition sponsored by the American Intellectual Property Law Association
Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition (New York, N.Y.)
National Trademarks Moot Court competition sponsored by the Brand Names Education Foundation
