Moot Court is relatively new to the undergraduate world, only being offered in a competitive setting starting in 2001. Compared to Mock trial’s long legacy of being a popular prelaw activity at the undergraduate level, it is no wonder many do not know exactly what Moot Court is. Put simply, Moot Court is simulated Supreme Court argumentation in which “advocates” use real United States Supreme Court case law to argue a position regarding a fictitious case. The American Moot Court Association creates an engaging case every year, left intentionally controversial in order to foster robust debate come competition time.
Holy Cross prides itself on being the seventh strongest Moot Court team in the country. This is due in large part to the bright students which the college attracts, but the team is lucky enough to have two HC alumni who are practicing attorneys as coaches. Moreover, members of the Holy Cross moot court team have a track record of attending some of the nation’s top law schools such as Columbia and Notre Dame, to name a few.
Joining Moot Court at HC has many benefits, but two particularly compelling reasons are the fun you will have travelling and competing with the team, and the acquisition of a deeper understanding of what life in law school might be like. To comment on the former, I have found my trip to Colorado for an invitational tournament hosted by Colorado Christian University to be one of the most fun experiences of my time at HC thus far. To be able to compete against other great schools as see another part of the country free of charge was truly remarkable.
Lastly, law school tuition costs an exorbitant amount of money per year, and one would rationally want to ensure that it is something one wants to embark upon before taking on this debt. With this being said, Moot Court at the undergraduate level is perhaps the best litmus test for whether one should apply to law school since the exact activity is something in which many law schools require students participate throughout their post graduate education. Thus, joining the Moot Court team is a win-win; if one enjoys their time immensely, then they can apply to law school with a more settled mind. If the activity is not appealing, then one has ample time to deliberate applying to law school and investigate other fields.
