Moot Court

The major moot court activity at Stanford Law School is the Marion Rice Kirkwood Memorial Competition, which takes place each year during Autumn and Winter terms. Autumn term will be dedicated to brief writing and completion of the written portion of the Competition; the oral argument portion of the Competition will be conducted during the first four to five weeks of Winter term. Students on externship and in clinics may enroll, if permitted by their respective programs. In Autumn term there are two class meetings. In addition, there are individually scheduled conferences. In Winter term, there are two class meetings and optional practice arguments. Participation in the oral argument competition is mandatory, which includes attendance at the semifinal and final arguments. The preliminary rounds are held in the evening; the semifinal and final rounds are in the late afternoon. Prior to the Competition itself, materials and lectures are provided on research, brief writing, and oral advocacy techniques. Registration for the Kirkwood Competition is by team. Each team is required to submit an appellate brief of substantial length and quality and to complete at least two oral arguments, one on each side of an actual case. The first draft of the brief is reviewed and critiqued by the course instructors. The course instructors and the Moot Court Board Presidents score the final draft of the brief. The course also offers digital recording and critiques of practice oral arguments. Panels of judges and local attorneys serve as judges who score the oral argument portion of the Competition. Teams are selected for the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final round of the Competition based on their brief and oral advocacy scores. The final round of the Competition is held before a panel of distinguished judges, and the entire Law School community is invited to attend. Special Instructions: In order to maintain academic standards, enrollment in the Kirkwood Competition is limited to 20 two-person teams. This limit will be strictly enforced. Registration forms will be distributed Spring term. If the program is oversubscribed, a lottery will be held to determine participating teams and to establish a waiting list. The final drop deadline for the course will be on Thursday of the first week of classes. Enrollment in both Autumn (2 units) and Winter (1 unit) terms is required. The final grade for both Autumn and Winter terms and the Professional Skills credit will be awarded upon the completion of the course requirements. Registration and Consent Instructions: Instructions on how to register for the Moot Court competition are sent out to students each year in Spring term for the coming academic year. The registration process is separate from the regular class registration process. Early application and drop deadlines. Elements used in grading: Satisfactory completion of appellate brief and oral arguments.