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Moot Court

Moot Court Board of Appellate Advocacy

FIU Law’s Moot Court (Appellate Advocacy) Program emphasizes the development of brief-writing and oral-advocacy through state, regional, national, and international competitions against other law students from across the nation and around the world.

During the fall of their second or third year, FIU Law Students compete in an intramural moot court competition based on a real world problem developed by the Moot Court Executive Board for a chance to compete on the national and international Moot Court travel team. Local attorneys and judges evaluate the intramural competitors in a round robin and bracket styled competition that culminates in a championship round before a panel of state and federal judges.

As a member of the national and international travel team, each student develops their brief-writing and oral-advocacy skills through competitions that require students to submit an appellate brief and then argue in front a panel of attorneys and state or federal judges from across the country.

2022-2023 Moot Court Executive Board

Faculty Advisor: Professor Ila Klion

President: Claire Snell​

Vice President of Intramural Competition: Jessica Viquiera-Rodriguez

Vice President of External Competitions: Leah Stein

Vice President of Public Relations: Krista Schmidt

Our Success

2018-2019 Rankings

30th Nationally

2nd Best in Florida

Recent Competitions and Awards:

Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition

2019 – Semi-Finalists

The Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition

2020 – Semi-Finalists, 

Top 5 Brief 

The ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition

2020 – Champions, 

Runner-Up Best Brief

Robert Orseck Moot Court Competition

2019 - Best Brief Overall

John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
2019 – Champions

Best Respondent Brief,

Best Preliminary Round Oralist,

Runner-Up Best Preliminary Round Oralist

The ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
2019 – Semi-Finalists

Top 10 Orator Award

The Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition
2019 – Semi-Finalists,

Top 5 Brief

Top 10 Orator Award

Previous Awards:

2018 Semi-Finalist E. Earle Zehmer National Moot Court Competition.
2018 Sweet Sixteen Finalist E. Earle Zehmer National Moot Court Competition
2018 Quarter-Finalist Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2018 International Championship Qualifier Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition
2018 Runner-Up Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court United States Southern Regional Tournament
2018 Best Oralist Award Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court United States Southern Regional Tournament
2018 Best Oralist Award Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court United States Southern Regional Tournament
2017 National Semi-Finalist Billings Exum & Frye Moot Court Competition
2017 Quarter-Finalist National Latina/o Law Student Association Moot Court Competition
2017 Quarter-Finalist Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2015 National Quarter-Finalist Price International Media Law Competition
2015 Octo-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2014 National Best Orator Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition 
2014 Runner-Up Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2014 National Runner-Up Price International Media Law Competition
2014 International Semi-Finalist Price International Media Law Competition
2014 Quarter-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2013 Runner-Up Best Orator Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2013 National Quarter-Finalist Price International Media Law Competition
2013 International Octo-Finalist Price International Media Law Competition
2013 Quarter-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2012 Runner-Up Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2012 National Best Orator Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition 
2012 Runner-Up Best Brief Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2012 Semi-Finalist Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2011 State Runner-Up Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2010 National Best Brief Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition 
2010 Semi-Finalist Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2010 Semi-Finalist Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2009 National Best Brief Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition 
2009 Semi-Finalist Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2009 Octo-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2009 Quarter-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2008 National Champion Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition 
2008 National Best Orator Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition 
2008 Runner-Up Best Orator Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2008 Semi-Finalist Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2008 Best Orator Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2008 Octo-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2008 Semi-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2008 Octo-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2007 National Champion Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition 
2007 National Best Orator Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition 
2007 Runner-Up Best Brief Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2007 Runner-Up Best Orator Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2007 Semi-Finalist Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2007 Semi-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2007 Runner-Up Best Brief Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2007 Runner-Up Best Orator Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2006 National Runner-Up Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2006 Best Brief Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2006 Runner-Up Best Orator Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
2006 Semi-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2006 Runner-Up Best Brief Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2005 Semi-Finalist Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2005 Semi-Finalist New York City Bar Association National Moot Court Competition
2005 Semi-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2005 Quarter-Finalist Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2005 Third Place Brief Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition
2004 National Runner Up New York City Bar Association National Competition
2004 National Runner-Up Best Brief New York City Bar Association National Competition
2004 National Champion Wechsler First Amendment National Moot Court Competition 
2004 State Champion Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition
2004 Best Brief Florida Bar Association Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition

Eligibility

  • Eligibility: Students must be FIU Law students in good standing (not on academic probation) and either 2L full-time students or 3L part-time students. Completion of LSV I and LSV II is also a prerequisite.

Try Outs/Intramural Competition

  • Try Outs/Intramural Competition: To be eligible for the Moot Court team, students must take a two-credit pass/fail course called “Appellate Procedure” in the fall of their 2L year (or 3L year for part-time students). This accelerated course, beginning in August and concluding in mid-October, teaches students advanced brief writing and oral advocacy skills as they prepare to file an appellate brief and deliver oral arguments during the intramural competition. From late October through early November, students compete in a round robin and bracket style intramural competition that culminates in a championship round of oral arguments before a panel of appellate judges. The Moot Court Board will select the incoming class based on the students’ performances in the intramural competition.

Contact Information


Please contact Moot Court President Claire Snell​ at fiuboardofappellateadvocates@gmail.com.