Coaching and Teaching Competitive Moot Court: Comparing Faculty Approaches

Abstract

Student participation in undergraduate intercollegiate moot court tournaments is steadily increasing. The research on this activity, however, remains limited. This study examines the perspectives of a small sample of faculty to determine how they structure their moot court teams, the courses related to the competition, and the challenges they face. Respondents showed many similarities in their approaches and the skills they believe the competition provides their students. But institutional support varied and individual faculty noted challenges they face due to low support. The faculty also reported significant differences between competition related courses and more traditional courses, including increased time, difficulty, but also closer relationships with their students. Further research on moot court is warranted.

Keywords:

• Moot Court
• Simulations
• Legal Argument
• intercollegiate competitions
• Mock Trial

Notes

1 Information about the American Moot Court Association, including competition rules and scoring sheets is available through the association’s website (http://www.acmamootcourt.org/).

2 HSRRC determined the research was exempt under 45 C.F.R. 46.101(b)(1). Documentation is on file with the author.

3 I reference the faculty members’ degree backgrounds because of the possibility that law school education, and legal practice, may provide different experiences than PhD training in terms of preparation for coaching competitive moot court. This is an area where future research is warranted.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Edward F. Kammerer

Edward F. Kammerer, Jr., JD, PhD, is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at Skidmore College, where he teaches Introduction to American Politics, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, and LGBTQ Politics. Prior to Skidmore, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Occidental College, where he taught a variety of law and American politics courses. He also taught courses at Northeastern University, Framingham State University, Curry College, and the University of Connecticut. He has coached award-winning moot court and mock trial teams at several institutions. Before beginning his teaching career, he worked as a public defense attorney in Massachusetts, representing indigent defendants in misdemeanor and felony cases. He earned his PhD from Northeastern University, his JD, from Suffolk University, and his BA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.