Appellate Competition Teams (Appellate Advocacy): As members of an appellate moot court competition team, MSU College of Law students have the opportunity to argue in law schools and courtrooms throughout the country, practicing their oral advocacy skills before prominent judges, attorneys, and law professors. MSU Law team earned a #1 national ranking for the 2019-20 season.
Each year, MSU College of Law attends competitions that focus on a wide variety of topic areas. In the past, topic areas have included: criminal law and procedure, evidence, corporate law, animal law, family law, First Amendment free speech, constitutional law, international law, religion, employment law, IP (trademark and patent), sexual orientation and gender identity law, general federal law (topic varies), and tax law, as well as a number of student bar association competitions (for example, HNBA, BLSA, and NNALSA competitions).
Moot court can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will have in law school and will provide skills training that will be beneficial for years to come. Moot court competitions are one of the oldest traditions in legal education and are a rite of passage for many law students.
- Build skills and experiment. You'll practice public speaking, structuring legal arguments, preparing briefs, developing professional judgment, and analyzing cases. Unlike most legal clinics, moot court develops skills in a relatively low-risk environment. With no actual clients, you'll have the opportunity to experiment with speaking styles and argumentation strategies.
- Network nationwide. Your competition experience helps you market yourself to potential employers in cities across the United States. Know where you want to practice? You might be able to compete there and impress local judges and attorneys. If you're looking to practice in a substantive area, you can connect with practitioners who specialize n that area. Our students have received job leads or offers as a direct result of their participation in a particular competition.
- Grow your expertise. You can gain more in-depth knowledge of areas that you care about – IP, animal law, criminal law, evidence, and many others. Researching and developing arguments will deepen your learning on topics that often appear on the bar exam and in practice.
- Make lifelong friends. Students on moot court teams develop friendships (and professional connections) that last for years.
- Have fun. No, really – it is one of the few opportunities you'll have to participate in a fast-paced game that rewards creativity, strategy, and hard work in a relatively low-risk environment. Our teams travel around country, exploring different cities, and enjoying new experiences.
Spring 2021
Regional Semifinalists, National Trial Competition - Texas Young Lawyers Association, Mock Trial Competition
Ranked #16 in the Nation, University of Houston National Moot Court Rankings
Eighth Place, American Bar Association - 2020-2021 Competitions Championship
Octafinalist, Top Ten Oralist, Seventh Place Brief, National Online Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Second and Third Place Oralists, Kurth Moot Court National Championship
Quarterfinalist, Second Place Brief, NYU National Immigration Law Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, BLSA Midwest Regionals Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Second Place Brief, National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare & Adoption
Champions, Second Place Oralist, Shapero Cup Regional Moot Court Competition in Bankruptcy Law
Quarterfinalist, Top Five Brief, Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Kaufman Securities Law Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Prince Evidence Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Third and Seventh Place Oralists, American Bar Association - National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Champions (Brooklyn Regionals) (2 teams), Third Place Oralist, Fourth Place Brief, American Bar Association - National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Semifinalist, National Native American Law Student Association Moot Court Competition
Fall 2020
Finalist, Appellate Lawyers Association Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Zehmer Workers Compensation Law Moot Court Competition
Best Brief, Zehmer Workers Compensation Law Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Billings Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Best Brief, Billings Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Spring 2020
Champions, NYU Immigration Law Moot Court Competition
Best Brief, NYU Immigration Law Moot Court Competition
Champions (Oklahoma City Regionals), ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
First and Third Place Oralists (Oklahoma City Regionals), ABA NAAC
Best Brief, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition (Nationals)
Third Place Respondent Brief, Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Third Place Oralist, Evan Evans Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Second Place Respondent Brief, Evan Evans Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Finalist, National Native American Law Student Association Moot Court Competition
Finalist, Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition in Trademark Law (Regionals)
Second Place, Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition in Trademark Law (Nationals)
Best Oralists, Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition in Trademark Law (Nationals)
Finalist (regionals), AIPLA Giles Sutherland Rich Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist (nationals), AIPLA Giles Sutherland Rich Moot Court Competition
Fall 2019
Finalist, Appellate Lawyers Association Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Zehmer Workers Compensation Law Moot Court Competition
Best Brief, Zehmer Workers Compensation Law Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Comeptition
Semifinalist, Billings Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Best Brief, Billings Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Spring 2019
Champions, McGee Civil Rights Moot Court Competition
Second Place Brief, McGee Civil Rights Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition (Boston Regionals)
Quarterfinalist, Sutherland Cup First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Second place oralist, Sutherland Cup First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Finalist (regionals), AIPLA Giles Sutherland Rich Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist (nationals), AIPLA Giles Sutherland Rich Moot Court Competition
Fourth Place Brief, Kurth Moot Court National Championship Competition
Fall 2018
Finalist, Wechsler First Amendment Competition
Semifinalist, Billings Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, ABA First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Zehmer Workers Compensation Law Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, National Latino/Latina Law Student Association Moot Court Competition
Spring 2018
Semifinalist, Jessup International Moot Court Regionals
Fifth Place Brief, Jessup International Moot Court Regionals
Fourth Place Brief, Kurth Moot Court National Championship Competition
Finalist and Semifinalist (2 teams), ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition (Manhattan Regionals)
Fourth and Seventh place oralists, ABA NAAC (Manhattan Regionals)
Fifth place brief, ABA NAAC (Manhattan Regionals)
Semifinalist, Williams Institute Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist and Octafinalist (2 teams), National Competition in Child Welfare and Adoption Law
Third place brief, National Competition in Child Welfare and Adoption Law
Octafinalist, Jerome Prince Memorial Evidence Competition
Regional Semifinalist, AIPLA Giles Sutherland Rich Moot Court Competition
Finalist, Kaufman Memorial Securities Law Competition
Second Place Brief, Kaufman Memorial Securities Law Competition
Fall 2017
Finalist, Wechsler First Amendment Competition
Best Brief, Wechsler First Amendment Competition
Finalist, Notre Dame Religious Freedom Competition
Spring 2017
First Place Oralist, Ruby Vale Corporate Law Moot Court Competition
Finalist, Ruby Vale Corporate Law Moot Court Competition
Second Place Petitioner Brief, Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Fifth Place Oralist, Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
First Place Oralists, Giles Sutherland Patent Law Moot Court Regionals
Semifinalist, Giles Sutherland Patent Law Moot Court Regionals
First Place Brief, National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare & Adoption Law
Third, Sixth, and Eighth Place Oralists, National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare & Adoption Law
Octafinalists (2 teams), National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare & Adoption Law
First Place Brief, Frederick Douglass Midwest Regional BLSA Moot Court Competition
First Place Oralist, Frederick Douglass Midwest Regional BLSA Moot Court Competition
Finalists (2 teams), ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition (St. Louis Regionals)
First Place Brief, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition (St. Louis Regionals)
Second Place Oralist, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition (St. Louis Regionals)
First Place Brief, Pace National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Pace National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition
Third Place Oralist, Jessup International Law Midwest Regional Competition
Octafinalist, Evan Evans Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Fall 2016
Champions, Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition
First Place Oralist, Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition
Spring 2016
Ranked #11 in the Nation, University of Houston National Moot Court Rankings
Regional Champions and Finalists (2 teams), ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Third and Sixth Place Regional Oralists, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Fifth Place Regional Brief, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Semifinalist, National Animal Law Moot Court Competition
Octafinalist, Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Regional Champions, Frederick Douglass BLSA Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Billings Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Fifth Place (Quarterfinalist), Kurth “Best of the Best” Moot Court Championship
Fall 2015
Champions, Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Best Brief, Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Champions, Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition
Regional Finalist and National Qualifier, National Moot Court Competition
Spring 2015
Ranked #9 in the Nation, University of Houston National Moot Court Rankings
National Champions, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Ninth Place Oralist, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Second Place Regional Brief, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Fifth Best Regional Oralist, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Finalist, National Animal Law Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Billings Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, NNALSA Moot Court Competition
Fall 2014
Semi-Finalist, Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Regional Finalist and National Qualifier, National Moot Court Competition
Best Oral Advocate, Regionals, National Moot Court Competition
Spring 2014
Semi-Finalist, Regionals, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Quarterfinalist, Andrews Kurth Moot Court “Best of the Best” National Championship
Third Place Brief, Andrews Kurth Moot Court “Best of the Best” National Championship
Quarterfinalist, Vanderbilt First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist (Regionals), Jessup International Moot Court Competition
Finalist, Niagara International Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalists (two teams), Williams Institute Moot Court Competition
Fall 2013
Semi-Finalist, Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, San Diego Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Third Place Brief, San Diego Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Octofinalist, Emory Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition
Semi-Finalist and National Qualifier, National Moot Court Competition
Best Brief (Regionals), National Moot Court Competition
Spring 2013
Ranked #15 in the Nation, University of Houston National Moot Court Rankings
National Champions, William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition
Top Oralist, William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition
Best Brief, Ruby R. Vale Interschool Corporate Moot Court Competition
Semifinalist, Vanderbilt First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Jerome Prince Memorial Evidence Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, Niagara International Moot Court Competition
Second Place Oral Advocate, Niagara International Moot Court Competition
Fall 2012
Finalist, Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Best Oral Advocate, Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Octofinalist, Emory Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, San Diego Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Third Place Brief, San Diego Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
Spring 2012
Ranked #12 in the Nation, Law School Advocacy Online RankingsNational Champions, Dean Jerome Prince Memorial Moot Court Competition
Quarterfinalist, William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition
Regional Finalists and International Qualifiers, Jessup International Moot Court Competition