Courses | Columbia Law School

Section Description Provided by Instructor

May serve as a substitute for L6679-Foundation Year Moot Court for first-year students, with prior approval of the faculty Moot Court Director.

The American Intellectual Property Law Association Giles Sutherland Rich Moot Court Competition is named for one of the most distinguished members of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The Problem usually consists of a unique Intellectual Property question; last year's problem, for example, dealt with standing and patent infringement issues. Through participation in the AIPLA moot court, students will learn the basics of IP law and the Appellate Procedures of the Federal Circuit.

Teams of two write a brief either on the appellant or appellee's side over the winter break and early in the Spring semester. A qualifying competition will be held at the start of the Spring semester to determine which CLS teams will attend the Regional Competition in Boston. Two teams of two students will be selected to compete in the Regional Competition. After Regionals a National competition is held at the Federal Circuit in Washington DC in late April. Competing for the Regional teams is not mandatory; students may elect to participate in the internal competition only.

In the spring semester 1L students are required to rewrite their briefs under the close supervision of their assigned Moot Court student editors.