National Moot Court Competitions

American Intellectual Property Law Association Moot Court

Environmental Law Moot Court

Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition

Latino/a Law Student Association Moot Court

Native American Law Students' Association Moot Court Competition

American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) Moot Court

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.

Environmental Law Moot Court

The Environmental Law Moot Court, which is sponsored by the Environmental Law Society, provides students with an opportunity to write appellate briefs and conduct oral arguments based on the environmental legal problem from the Pace Law School Environmental Law Moot Court Competition. The legal issues are drawn from real cases and are argued by three adverse teams, reflecting the multiparty nature of environmental litigation that often involves the government, a public interest group, and a member of the regulated industry. Each participant writes briefs with one or two other students. Students must complete briefs by December. In Janurary and February, each team participates in at least two rounds of oral arguments. Practitioners specializing in environmental law adjudicate at least one oral argument session. The Environmental Law Society (ELS) will provide student editors for each team to assist participants with briefs and oral arguments. In the spring semester, first-year students are required to rewrite their briefs under the close supervision of their assigned Moot Court student editors.

Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition

The Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition is a national competition that focuses primarily on public law and topics of particular relevance to law students of color. Competing in teams of two, competitors must submit briefs in the middle of the fall semester and argue orally for a minimum of three rounds at regionals early in the spring semester. The top three teams from regionals advance to the national competition. Columbia competitors are coached by upperclass students and participate in several practice oral arguments in preparation for the competition rounds. The competition is open to all members of the National Black Law Students Association, which does not restrict its membership.

In the spring semester, first-year students are required to rewrite their briefs under the close supervision of their assigned Moot Court student editors.

Latino/a Law Students Association (LaLSA) Moot Court

The Latino/a Law Students Assocation (LaLSA) Moot Court Competition is a national competition that focuses on exploring complex contemporary issues affecting the Latino/a community. Students will compete in the Annual Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition sponsored by the Hispanic National Bar Association. Competing in teams of two, competitors must submit briefs in Janurary and argue orally at regionals early in the spring semester. Columbia competitors are coached by upperclass students and participate in several practice oral arguments in preparation for the competition rounds. The competition is open to all members of the Hispanic National Bar Association, which does not restrict its membership.

Native American Law Students' Association (NALSA) Moot Court Competition

The purposes of the National Native American Law Students Association (NNALSA) Moot Court Competition are to encourage the development of oral advocacy and brief-writing skills and to enhance substantive knowledge in the fields of Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law, and traditional forms of governance. The National Native American Law Students Association was founded in 1970 to promote study in these fields and to support Native American students in law school.

In the spring semester, first-year students are required to rewrite their briefs under the close supervision of their assigned Moot Court student editors.

Participation in these programs is made possible by the generous support of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.