The College of Law Moot Court Society’s 31st installment of the Prize Moot Court Competition allows teams of two to gain as close to real-world appellate court experience as possible.

The competition completed the preliminary round of oral arguments on Saturday. Four teams moved on the semi-finals, which will take place Saturday. Two teams will compete in the final round on March 2 and an awards ceremony will follow. This year’s competition features an immigration case; students submitted briefs on behalf of the government or an undocumented immigrant. During the initial rounds of the competition, teams are required to argue each side of the issue.

Anne McLean is an associate justice on the Moot Court Society board. She spoke about the how intense the courtroom environment can be and how the contest can help alleviate some of that anxiety.

“I entered the competition to gain oral argument experience,” McLean said. “Speaking in front of judges is a pretty intimidating thing…the analytical thinking required to build an effective oral argument is exactly what makes a good lawyer. And then pulling it all together and arguing in front of some big shots is when all the fun happens.”

Students received the record on appeal the first day of the spring semester, so they had about two weeks to research and write their appellate briefs. Once their briefs were completed, the student teams worked on their oral arguments.

Judges are able to ask questions during the mock trial. The Moot Court Society prides itself on making the competition feel as real as possible; the format is rigidly structured and kept as professional as possible, according to Karen Levin, chief justice of the Moot Court Society Board and third-year law student.

“I was interested in having the opportunity to argue before attorneys and judges,” Levin said. “I knew that doing the competition would help to bolster my writing and oral advocacy skills.”

According to Leonard Mandell, faculty adviser to the Moot Court Society and associate dean of Student Services for the College of Law, there were 19 teams that turned in briefs. After Saturday’s preliminary rounds, only four teams move on to the semi-finals; only two teams will battle it out in the final round.

Chief Justice Nicole Anderson is responsible for overseeing the society’s board, which orchestrates the competition and ensures it runs smoothly. Anderson is an associate justice on the Moot Court Society board with her teammate, Arielle Denis. They won last year’s competition. Anderson found the competition difficult, but said it is an invaluable part of law school.

“It’s really hard to balance your homework, but it’s a real life lesson,” Anderson said. “You’re going to have to balance way more when you graduate, so you better get used to it now. The judges ask very good questions and it helps you learn how to talk to a judge.”

Anderson’s participation allowed her to represent NIU in the national moot court competition.

The competition’s preliminary round was judged mostly by attorneys who are former NIU alumni and participated in the competition themselves. The semi-final round will be heard by five Illinois appellate court judges and a circuit court judge. In the final round, students will see two federal district court judges and the solicitor general from Illinois on the bench.

“After the oral argument ends, the judges deliberate in a separate room and based on their oral arguments,” Levin said. “The judges talk to them about where their strengths and weaknesses are and how to improve.”

The competition can be viewed by anyone and offers a glimpse into appellate court cases. Late admittance is not allowed.

The Moot Court Society is open to all third-year law students who have previously competed in the contest, which is open to all second-year law students. The main goal of the society is to further appellate advocacy through the competition and to teach students about the appeals process. Appellate trails are a bit different than a regular court case because they only occur when the defendant or petitioner appeals a lower court’s ruling.

For more information, visit the Moot Court Society online at www.niu.edu/law/organizations/moot_court/index.shtml.

 

The semi-final rounds will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Riley courtroom in Swen Parson Hall. The final round will be held on March 2.