Welcome to Welcome to

USF Moot Court 2010USF Moot Court 2010

Introductions

Introductions

Moot Court Board: Elisa Cervantes, Executive Director Tiffany Danao, Advocacy Director Emily Schmidt, Managing Director Sally White, Development Director Steven Disharoon, Development Director

Introductions:

Moot Court Faculty AdvisorsMoot Court Faculty Advisors

Program Coordinator:

Prof. Edith Ho

Introductions:

Moot Court Faculty AdvisorsMoot Court Faculty Advisors

Faculty Advisor:

Prof. Suzanne Mounts

Introductions:

Moot Court Case CounselMoot Court Case Counsel

Introductions:

Moot Court Case CounselMoot Court Case Counsel

13 Second and Third Year Students Who Excelled in First Year Moot Court and Other Advocacy Programs Will Assist You Throughout The Program

Case Counsel Worked With the LRWA Professors and the Board to Research and Develop Each Topic

A Case Counsel Will Be Assigned to a LRWA Section to Coach Them Through Moot Court

Agenda

Overview of the Moot Court Program Prof. Ho: Good Faith and Recommended Reading Schedule of Important Dates Case Counsel: Helpful Hints Question and Answer Session Conclusion

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

What do you need to knowWhat do you need to knowabout Moot Court?about Moot Court?

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

Moot Court is an exercise in writing an opposition paper and arguing your motion at the trial level.

Moot Court is NOT Mock Trial!! Moot Court is Designed to Replicate the Oral

Argument of a Motion to a Real or Fictitious Trial Court.

The Motion Involves Orally Presenting the Arguments You’ve Written in Your LRWA Memorandum of Points and Authorities or Your Opposition Paper, to a Panel of Judges.

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

What Does This Mean For You?1. You will research and write an opposition paper.2. Depending on which role you have been assigned, you

will argue your side before a panel of trial judges. 3. You will do all of this within a span of

1 month, which means you must practice effective time management.

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

The Emphasis of the

Moot Court Program is on: A well researched and effectively written opposition paper. A well rehearsed and effective oral argument.

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

Awards Will Be Given Out at the End

of Moot Court in Each Topic For:

Best Opposition Paper Best Oral Argument

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

What side am I arguing? What side am I arguing?

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

All students are dividedAll students are dividedup as either up as either PlaintiffsPlaintiffs or or DefendantsDefendants..

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

Plaintiffs Plaintiffs are bringing suit in the trial court. However,

depending on the nature of the motion, they may or may not be the moving party.

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

Defendants Defendants are being sued at the trial level.

Depending on the nature of the motion, they may or may not be the moving party.

Overview of Moot CourtOverview of Moot Court

Who Is Assigned to be a

Plaintiff or a Defendant? Sometime after the opposition papers have

been submitted, students will be divided within LRWA classes.

Prof. Edith HoProf. Edith Ho

Good Faith Effort Required to Receive Credit For Moot Court: Must Turn In Your Opposition Paper, Attend Videotaping and Complete Your Oral Argument

Winning an Appeal by Myron Moskovitz The Little Book on Oral Argument by Alan

Dworsky

Moot Court Handbook

Moot Court Handbooks will be distributed in your mail folders on Friday, March 5th.

Take time to read the Handbook before you meet with your Case Counsel on March 16th.

First Meeting with Case Counsel

Monday, March 15, 9:00 a.m.: Case Counsel and Room Assignments for First Meeting Posted

Tuesday, March 16, 12:30-1:20 p.m. or

5:30 – 6:20 p.m.: Students in ALL SECTIONS meet with individual Case Counsel to receive overview of Moot Court and first assignment. Your time for your meeting will be posted along with your Case Counsel and room assignments.

Turn in Opposition PaperTurn in Opposition Paper

Monday, March 22: All students turn in papers to Case Counsel at individual meeting Sections 1 & 2: 12:30 – 1:20 p.m. Section 3: 5:30 p.m. – 6:20 p.m.

Oral Advocacy WorkshopOral Advocacy Workshop

Tuesday, March 23, 12:30-1:20 p.m.: Section 1 Oral Advocacy Workshop

Wednesday, March 24, 12:30-1:20 p.m.: Section 2 Oral Advocacy Workshop

Wednesday, March 24, 5:30-6:20 p.m.: Section 3 Oral Advocacy Workshop

Videotape Sesssions and Oral Videotape Sesssions and Oral ArgumentsArguments

March 25 – April 1 & April 5 – 9 45-MinuteVideotaping Session with Your Case Counsel

Monday, April 5, 3:00 p.m.

Oral Argument Schedule Posted Saturday, April 10 & Sunday,

April 11 Oral Argument Weekend

Requests for ExceptionsRequests for Exceptions

The Deadline to Submit The Deadline to Submit Requests for Exceptions toRequests for Exceptions toThese Mandatory Events isThese Mandatory Events isFriday, Feb. 19 at 4:00 p.m.Friday, Feb. 19 at 4:00 p.m.

The request must be in writing. The request must be in writing. No guarantees. Very few exceptions.No guarantees. Very few exceptions.

usfmootcourt@gmail.comusfmootcourt@gmail.com

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

James Arcellana Do not overdo your folders. Your argument

should be a conversation, and no conversation can flow well when one person is paying more attention to their papers than to the judges.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Monica Baranovsky Try not to “freak out.” Prepare hard, take

advantage of all the opportunities to practice and refine your arguments, and then on the day of, just “go with it,” know that you did your best, and have fun.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Lisa D’Annunzio The appearance of confidence goes a long

way. Remain calm and poised during your argument and maintain good eye contact with the judges

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Eve Finstein Judges love to ask a leading yes or no question

designed to back you into a corner. Don’t be afraid to answer this type of question directly. Remaining committed to your final point, rather than concerned the judge will be able to disprove it, will make it difficult to back you into a corner

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Carl Hammarskjold  When a judge asks you a question, don't

treat it like an interruption that you just need to get past.  Treat the question as aninvitation to talk about something that the judge cares about.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Devin Kinyon Try to separate the LRW final from your oral

argument in your mind. Let go of your LRW final so that you can enjoy and learn from the Moot Court experience, which focuses on a different skill set.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

K.C. Meckfessel Find your personal style by observing others.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Michael Pasternak Try to practice your oral argument multiple

times-it's hard to imagine how it will be making these arguments until you actually start saying them out loud.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Rachel Perez After listening to the judge's question, take a

brief moment to pause, think and formulate your answer. Don't feel anxious about answering the judge's question right away.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Jonathan Shugart Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Giselle Sotelo Know your case inside out so you won't be

caught off guard. The more you prepare, the more confident you'll feel going into arguments.

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Achal Srinath Try to give the judge a reason to care about

what you are saying.  Frame the issue as one of importance. Make them understand the consequences of their decision.  

Case Counsel Helpful HintsCase Counsel Helpful Hints

Jaime Walter Don't memorize your argument but do

memorize your intro. Making eye contact during the first 20 seconds is critical and will impress the judges. Also, make sure you inject some passion into your intro; sound excited to be up there!

Questions About Moot CourtQuestions About Moot Court

Questions?Questions?

Contact Information

Moot Court Office: KN 112

Phone Number: (415) 422-5118

Email: usfmootcourt@gmail.com Website: www.usfca.edu/org/mootcourt/

10 Steps to Moot Court Success

(1) Meet Case Counsel and get assignment

(2) Write opposition paper

(3) Turn in opposition paper

(4) Attend Oral Advocacy Workshop

(5) Practice argument in front of

a mirror

10 Steps to Moot Court Success

(6) Videotape argument

(7) Practice argument

(8) Pick up suit at dry cleaners

(9) Practice argument in front

of your friends

(10) Make argument to judges

ConclusionConclusion

Work Hard During Moot Court: What You Get Out of Your Experience Will be in Direct Proportion to What You Put Into It

Most of All: HAVE FUN!!!