Board of Advocates
The Board of Advocates (“BOA”) is a student moot court organization designed to develop students’ advocacy skills in a variety of legal contexts. BOA teams compete in regional, national, and international appellate, negotiation, and trial competitions. BOA members also earn academic credits for competing and serving on the Board.
During its first seven years, our BOA teams have had phenomenal success in appellate and negotiation competitions, competing in 42 competitions and finishing as finalists in 9 competitions, as semi-finalists in 13 competitions, and as quarterfinalists in 5 competitions. Our BOA appellate teams have earned awards for their brief writing skills in 10 competitions, including 4 Best Brief Trophies, and the teams have also earned awards for their oratory skills in 10 competitions, including 4 Best Orator Trophies. Most recently, a BOA team was Runner- Up at the Florida Bar Association’s Orseck Moot Court Competition, placing second among all Florida law schools. The BOA negotiation teams have also had stellar success, advancing to the national finals in the ABA Negotiation Competition 5 of the last 7 years. In 2009, our negotiation team finished 3rd in the nation, from a field of over 200 teams from 114 law schools! In 2010, another FIU team nearly duplicated the prior team’s feat, finishing 4th in the nation at the ABA National Negotiation Competition! The negotiation team has dominated the Southeast Regional, taking the regional championship 3 of the last 4 years.
On the trial front, the BOA trial team won the Southeast Regional and advanced to the national finals at the 2008 AAJ National Trial Competition. The trial team has also finished as Semi-Finalists twice at the Zehmer Mock Trial Competition.
At the Wechsler National First Amendment Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C., FIU has finished as a Finalist or Semi-Finalist 5 times in 6 years and earned a Runner-Up Brief Award and Best Orator and Runner-Up Best Orator Awards.
At the Florida Bar Association’s Orseck Moot Court Competition, FIU has advanced to the Semi-Finals 5 times in 7 years and won a Best Brief Award.
Appellate Advocacy
Students, working in two-person teams, will prepare an appellate brief and deliver an appellate oral argument in a competition format. Students will receive substantial classroom instruction in persuasive brief writing and oral advocacy as well as the relevant appellate rules and procedure topics. Students will participate in an Appellate competition at the end of the semester as a means of making it on the Board of Advocates. Students selected as members of the Board of Advocates Appellate Advocacy Group will compete in a regional, national, or international appellate advocacy competition and will earn credit for satisfactory completion of their competition duties. Students, working in a team, will typically prepare an appellate brief and then deliver an appellate oral argument multiple times during the competition oral argument rounds.
Negotiation
The BOA negotiation teams have also had stellar success, advancing to the national finals in the ABA Negotiation Competition 5 of the last 7 years.
In 2009, our negotiation team finished 3rd in the nation, from a field of over 200 teams from 114 law schools! In 2010, another FIU team nearly duplicated the prior team’s feat, finishing 4th in the nation at the ABA National Negotiation Competition! The negotiation team has dominated the Southeast Regional, taking the regional championship 3 of the last 4 years.
Executive Board
The Board of Advocates officers include: (1) the President, (2) Vice President of Public Relations, (3) Vice President of Appellate Advocacy/Moot Court Team, (4) Secretary of Appellate Advocacy/Moot Court Team, (5) Vice President of Negotiation Team, and (6) Vice President of Trial Team. Each officer serves a term of one year. The Executive Board meets regularly each semester to discuss issues pertaining to each team and to assist each team with intramural, state, regional, and international competitions and events.
Competitions and Awards