Moot Court Tryouts for the Academic Year of 2009-2010

The Wayne State University Law School Moot Court Team will be holding an open tryout to fill the 2009-2010 team. All rising first- and second-year students who have completed 22 credits including Legal Research and Writing are eligible.

Tryouts will be held in the Moot Court Courtroom, which is located on the second floor of the administration building directly above the atrium that leads to the Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium. Tryouts will take place on May 15 and 16 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.  If you cannot make those dates you must contact a member of the Moot Court Executive Board ASAP. Candidates will be able to sign up for tryout times on TWEN starting May 3.  

Tryouts will consist of a seven-minute oral argument in front of a panel of senior member judges. There will be five judges (one Chief Justice and four Associate Justices) plus a panel of observing senior members. First-year students will argue the problem that they did for their Legal Research and Writing course this year.  Second-year students will argue the same problem, but will be given a bench brief to familiarize themselves with the problem. 

Candidates will be chosen based on their oral advocacy skills not their knowledge of the case law.  We are looking for candidates who demonstrate superiority in the following areas: eye contact, deference, diction, pace, enunciation and professionalism.  No additional research is required nor is it recommended. 

The Moot Court Executive Board reserves the right to determine how many applicants will be chosen.  Traditionally, incoming classes fall in the range of 32-46 students. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us:

Matt Penney, Chancellor - mhkpenney@gmail.com
Kristina Araya, Vice Chancellor - kristina.araya@gmail.com
John Wright, Junior Advisor - johnwrightlaw@gmail.com