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External Team Member Responsibilities

The information on this page is intended solely for current members of the LSU Law Center’s External Competition Teams.  Students with questions should contact Prof. Brooks, the Director of Advocacy Programs.

All student members of any external competition team will be enrolled in LAW 5885 for one academic credit, to be graded on a pass/fail basis.  Enrollment in this course typically occurs in the Spring semester.

External Team Member Responsibilities

Every member of a LSU Law Center Advocacy Programs External Competition team shall:

  1. Read and comply with the LSU Law Center Catalog (in particular the Code of Student Conduct), the rules of their competition, and these regulations.
  2. Personally research, prepare, and draft their competition brief, witness examinations, oral arguments, motions, oral argument scripts, opening statements, summations, and/or other oral or written submissions as required for their competition in a manner consistent with the forms and procedures set by the Director of Advocacy Programs and Advocacy Fellow and in compliance with all deadlines set by their assigned team coach.
    1. To the extent a team’s coach sets additional internal deadlines for written materials, team members are expected to provide the Advocacy Programs Director with a copy of those deadlines and comply with those deadlines.
  3. Appoint a Team Leader, who shall be responsible for liaising with the Advocacy Programs Fellow to make travel arrangements for the team, arrange for briefs to be photocopied, and/or otherwise assist in the administrative preparations required for the competition.
  4. Arrange a practice oral argument schedule with their assigned team coach, and submit such schedule to the Advocacy Fellow and the Board of Advocates Vice-President of External Competitions.  The Advocacy Fellow will arrange for rooms to be reserved at the Law Center for all scheduled practice dates and times.
  5. Prepare for and participate in a minimum of ten (10) practices prior to departure for the competition.  The team coach may require additional practices at their discretion; team members are expected to fully prepare for and participate in these practices as well.
  6. Present a full dress rehearsal prior to departure for their competition, which shall be open to the LSU Law Center community.
  7. Act in a professional and courteous manner in all interactions with other team members, with their assigned team coach, with any and all guest judges, and with all competitors, judges, and competition administrators at their competition.
    1. If conflict arises among team members, the team members will first collectively try to resolve the problem internally in a professional manner. If unsuccessful, the Team Leader will refer the matter to the Director of Advocacy Programs, who will resolve the problem consistent with the Law Center’s policies and procedures.
  8. Timely submit all receipts for reimbursement to the Law Center’s Business Office.

Failure to comply with the above responsibilities may result in a failing grade in LAW 5885 and/or other disciplinary procedures/penalties as appropriate, in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth in the Law Center’s Catalog.

Team Membership and Credit Hours Policy:

Absent express written approval from the Director of Advocacy Programs , no student may participate on more than one external team per semester, regardless of type of competition (moot court, mock trial, dispute resolution, etc.).  All student members of any external competition team will be enrolled in LAW 5885 for one academic credit, to be graded on a pass/fail basis.  No more than one credit may be earned in LAW 5885 per academic year, and no more than two credits in LAW 5885 may be earned during a student’s law school career.