4.12 Policy on Inter-Law School Competitions

4.12.01 Scope

This policy applies to all interscholastic competitions involving Appellate Advocacy, Trial Advocacy, Negotiation, Client Counseling or similar skills.

4.12.02 Academic Credit

Students competing in an interscholastic moot court competition that requires both a brief and an oral argument shall be eligible for two (2) hours of academic credit upon satisfactory completion of a competition. Such credit shall be awarded on an satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis during the semester in which the oral rounds of the competition occur, subject to the determination of the Faculty Advisor. Students competing in an interscholastic moot court, trial advocacy, negotiation, client counseling or similar competition that requires solely an oral argument or a presentation shall be eligible for one (1) hour of academic credit upon satisfactory completion of a competition. Such credit shall be awarded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis during the semester in which the oral rounds of the competition occur, subject to the determination of the Faculty Advisor. 

4.12.03 Approval of Interscholastic Competitions

A. Application by Students and Student Organizations. A student organization, an individual student, or a group of two or more students may make a proposal to the Moot Court Board Advisor to enter an interscholastic competition in the following academic year. Such a proposal must be submitted in writing by March 1. The proposal should include the following:

1. The name of the proposed faculty advisor, if determined;

2. A proposed budget, including entry fees; travel costs; brief printing and mailing costs; and any other costs;

3. The name and address of the competitions sponsors;

4. Any other information on the competition or which the student(s) or organization wishes to have considered.

B. Application by a Faculty Member. A member of the full-time faculty, the legal writing faculty; a clinic staff attorney; or adjunct professor may make a proposal to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to enter an interscholastic competition in the following academic year. Such a proposal must be submitted in writing by March 1. The proposal should include the following:

1. The name of the proposed faculty advisor, if determined;

2. A proposed budget, including entry fees; travel costs; brief printing and mailing costs; and any other costs;

3. The name and address of the competition sponsors;

4. Any other information on the competition or which the faculty member wishes to have considered.

C. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs’ Initiative. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs also may select competitions to enter on his or her own initiative.

D. Recommendation to Dean. Based on proposals received from students and faculty, and his or her own initiative, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will provide the Dean with recommendations on which competitions to enter. 

4.12.04 Faculty Advisor

A. Selection. A team must have a Faculty Advisor to be approved for competition. Normally, the Faculty Advisor will be a member of the full time faculty. However, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may approve a member of the legal writing faculty, clinic staff attorney, or adjunct professor to serve as the Faculty Advisor for a competition.

B. Duties. The Faculty Advisor for each competition will:

1. Play an active role in selecting the team and shall make the final selection of team members. The Faculty Advisor has primary responsibility for assuring that the selection of the team is conducted in a fair, unbiased, and rational manner based upon the merits of the students applying for selection. Normally, the Faculty Advisor would be expected to attend oral tryouts and read writing samples submitted as part of the selection process;

2. Closely monitor and supervise the students in preparation of memoranda, briefs, and oral arguments as permitted by the sponsors of the respective competitions. Even if the rules of the respective competition preclude Faculty or other assistance, the Faculty Advisor should review and retain copies of all memoranda, briefs, and other final work product as would be done for class papers and exams. The Faculty Advisor should observe most student practice rounds.

3. Work with the students to establish a practice schedule, and arrange for practice round judges to watch and comment on the team. Teams should normally be expected to do a minimum of eight or more practice rounds, in addition to informal practices.

4. Personally attend the interscholastic competition, advise the team within the limits permitted by the rules of the competition, and make arrangements for the entry, attendance and participation of the team at the competition.

5. Evaluate the performance of the students and the quality of their participation and, where a team member applies for academic credit; determine whether the students’ participation merits the award of credit.

6. Be responsible for the team’s budget. 

4.12.05 Team Selection

A. Teams must be selected through a process open to any member of the student body, subject to the restrictions of paragraphs B, C, and D, of this subsection, below. Where the rules of the competition require students to be members of an organization in order to participate in the competition, students wishing to participate on the team may be required to join the organization, and to pay any required dues. However, no team will be authorized for outside competition if membership in such organization is not open to any student. Team selection may be based solely, or on a combination of, factors including oral try-outs, writing samples, grades, work experience, personal interview, and other lawful, relevant criteria.

B. First-year students may not participate in interscholastic competitions.

C. Students on academic probation at the time of team selection may not be selected for interscholastic competitions. Where a student is placed on academic probation between the time of team selection and the competition, the student may, with approval of the team Faculty Advisor, complete the competition. In deciding whether the student may continue, the Faculty Advisor should consider the student’ s academic standing and situation; the work already put forth by the student and the amount required in the following semester; the ability to substitute team members under the competition rules; and other relevant criteria.

D. No student may participate in more than one interscholastic competition in an academic year.