As part of the first-year requirements, all students participate in a moot court competition. Students research and write an appellate brief, then argue at least once before a panel of judges. Those going into the finals may argue as many as five times and win prizes based on the quality of their oral arguments.
In the second and third years, competitions are optional. Some competitions are open to the entire student body; others are restricted to members of the Moot Court Board. Students can select from the National Appellate Competition, the Labor Law Appellate Competition, the Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, the Bankruptcy Competition or the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, as well as other competitions. Students also may compete in the National Trial Competition, the American Trial Lawyers Association Trial Competition and the Don Turner Criminal Law Competition. Local attorneys and judges act as judges and evaluators; law school professors act as competition and moot court coaches.