Moot Court Program & Competitions

Moot court helps you develop skills that many employers seek, particularly if you’re an aspiring litigator or desire a judicial clerkship after graduation. You can also choose to compete against students from other law schools in regional, national, and international moot court competitions. Our moot court programs are administered by the Legal Writing & Appellate Advocacy Program.

J. Newton Esdaile Appellate Moot Court Program

As part of the Lawyering Skills Class, you will participate in the J. Newton Esdaile Appellate Moot Court Program in spring semester. You will draft a brief, which requires you to research an issue thoroughly and write a persuasive document, and then present your case in oral argument before a panel of moot court judges made up of students, lawyers, and faculty.

Edward C. Stone Moot Court Competition

As a second-year student, you can participate in the Edward C. Stone Moot Court Competition. During fall semester, you’ll work in a two-person team on one of three moot court problems. Your team will brief one side of a case and then argue that side at oral argument, which is judged by a panel of third-year students, faculty, and attorneys. The students with the highest combined brief and oral argument scores are invited to participate in the Homer Albers Prize Moot Court Competition in the spring.

Homer Albers Prize Moot Court Competition

If you are invited to participate in the Homer Albers Prize Moot Court Competition, your two-person team will be presented with a problem related to a lower court opinion. Your team will be designated as petitioner or respondent and must prepare a brief arguing on behalf of your assigned side. After two preliminary rounds, teams advance to a quarterfinal elimination round where they argue before panels composed of BU Law professors. The top four teams then advance to the semifinal round, where they argue before panels composed of judges and professors.

External Moot Court Competitions

Third-year students who completed Stone Moot Court in their second year are eligible to compete on BU Law-sponsored moot court teams, which compete at regional, national, and international competitions. Teams participate in a variety of competitions focusing on different areas of law, including constitutional law, criminal procedure, international law, and intellectual property, among others.