We are Proud of Our Award-Winning Teams!

Students pursuing a general litigation or alternative dispute resolution concentration, or students pursuing another area in which dispute resolution skills play a dominant role, such as criminal law or constitutional law and civil rights, should consider trying out for one of Thomas Jefferson School of Law’s extraordinarily successful competition teams. Students hone their law practice skills by competing against law students from across the country from New York to Honolulu, winning numerous individual and team honors while competing against teams from among the nation’s top-ranked law schools. During the 2005-2006 academic year, our teams had one of their most successful years ever, consistently making a strong showing at the most prestigious competitions.

Students first compete in intra-school competitions for places on each of the three teams. Members then prepare for competitions under the supervision of experienced program directors, who provide both classroom instruction and individual counseling. Each team focuses on different skills:

Alternative Dispute Resolution Team: Competes in negotiation and mediation competitions, and students develop dispute resolution skills applicable to virtually any area of practice.

Mock Trial Team: Competes in trial advocacy competitions, and students develop courtroom skills of particular value to a trial lawyer, such as criminal prosecutor or defense attorney, a personal injury or medical malpractice plaintiffs’ lawyer, or an insurance defense lawyer.

Moot Court Team: Competes in appellate advocacy competitions, and students develop persuasive writing and oral argument skills relevant to practice areas in which legal writing is a critical component, such as a criminal law attorney focusing on appellate practice, a death penalty litigator, a business law litigator, or an intellectual property law litigator.