Law students cultivate camaraderie and legal skills in courtroom competitions

As one enters through the courtroom doors, the clatter of echoing footsteps and hushed voices fills the air. Law students gather their notes, awaiting to stand and debate before a panel of judges at one of Liberty’s Moot Court competitions. Through participating in Moot Court, law students are presented with numerous opportunities to compete against schools like William & Mary, Texas Tech and Baylor.

Since 2006, students participating in Moot Court have traveled around the country to
engage in a series of prestigious courtroom competitions. Last November, the Moot Court team secured a first- and second-place victory at the 23rd annual Leroy R. Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition at Regent University after two different pairs of Liberty students went head-to-head in the final round. One of the members of the winning pair, Cameron Andrews, reflected on her experience at the competition.

“The three other girls that were at the competition are some of my best friends in law school, so it was a really fun experience to have that last round together,” Andrews said. “We knew it was a win for Liberty either way, so we were cheering for each other as much as we were, you know, wanting to win.”

While competing in Moot Court, students must create an extensive legal brief concerning a real-world issue and be able to debate both sides of their argument in the courtroom. One of the founding faculty members and advisor for the team, Scott Thompson, explained how the Moot Court is similar to the Supreme Court. 

“What is somewhat unique about a Moot Court competition is that the judges — usually a panel of three or four — interrupt the speakers during the presentation and ask them questions, … which is very much like what happens in the Supreme Court,” Thompson said.

Moot Court is a great opportunity for law students because it helps build skills in research and oral advocacy and requires them to be able to write a 30-to-40-page brief on a topic beforehand.

“If you put the work in, and you have the right mindset, and you really invest the time, it’s something that can really pay off,” Andrews said. “It’s not just the win that is amazing, … but there’s really a lot of benefits as far as going out and getting internships and jobs and the skills you are able to develop … to compete in tournaments.”

Moot Court aligns with Liberty’s vision to train Champions for Christ by providing opportunities for students to reflect Christ as they humbly interact with their teammates and competitors. Thompson recalls when the team joined a member from another school who was sitting alone one day. 

“Our students embraced them; in fact, later that night, after all the festivities were over, they were in the student complex playing a game of pool (and) invited her to join,” Thompson said. 

According to Andrews, competing for Moot Court has helped her grow in her professionalism because of the lasting relationships she has built while working on the team. 

“It’s great to have the opportunity to go out to other schools and compete with people from a variety of backgrounds and show that … if you do excellent work and you’re an excellent attorney with real skills, you’re able to use those skills to help other people,” Andrews said. 

For more information about the Moot Court team’s upcoming competitions, email sethompson@liberty.edu.

Freund is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on X