Appellate Advocacy Program

Students interested in honing their appellate advocacy skills at Saint Louis University School of Law have several opportunities to hone their oral advocacy and brief writing skills.

In addition to the first year Legal Research and Writing course (required for all first year students), the School offers the following:

Appellate Advocacy I (Formerly Moot Court I)

Appellate Advocacy I builds and develops upon skills first introduced in LRW I and II.  The primary focus of the course is brief writing with a secondary focus on oral advocacy.  The class meets for two hours each week; working on both persuasive writing and oral advocacy skills.  Students work in pairs to draft a full appellate brief, with each student responsible for researching and drafting one main argument of the brief.  Throughout the course, students research a problem, prepare and submit various portions of the brief which are reviewed by the professor as well as the final brief.  In addition, students may engage in oral argument exercises critiqued by the professor prior to final oral arguments before members of the local legal community.  The course carries the Professional Skills designation.  Enrollment is limited.  Two hours graded credit.  NOTE:  Because of the timing and sequencing of the appellate advocacy program, this course may or may not feed into Appellate Advocacy II.

Appellate Advocacy II (Formerly Moot Court II)

Appellate Advocacy II is open by invitation to second or third year students who have received the top grades in Appellate Advocacy I.  This course continues the study of appellate brief writing and focuses in particular on the skills of oral advocacy.  The class meets for two hours each week; working on both persuasive writing and oral advocacy skills.  Because of the front loaded nature of the course, traditional class meeting times end well before the exam period.  Depending upon students’ advancement into additional rounds of oral argument, faculty advising time continues.  Students work in pairs to prepare a full appellate brief with each student responsible for researching and drafting one main argument of the brief. Students may engage in several oral argument exercises critiqued by the professor, including a final oral argument before members of the local legal community.  The course carries the Professional Skills designation.  Enrollment is limited.  Students receive 1 hour graded credit.  Students who receive the top grades in Appellate Advocacy II may be invited to represent the School in regional moot court competitions.

Moot Court Competitions

In addition, there are a number of Moot Court Competitions open to students including participation in the National Moot Court Competition, Jessup International Moot Court Competition, Saul Lefkowitz IP Moot Court Competition, Giles Sutherland Rich Moot Court Competition, National Health Law Moot Court Competition and the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition. Students participating in competitions may receive credit with faculty approval.

Spring 2008 Semester Guide