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Team Tryouts Information

All students interested in participating on one of the Law Center’s moot court (appellate advocacy), trial advocacy, or dispute resolution/transactional external competition teams must participate in the tryouts process. Each of the three “tracks” (appellate, trial, and dispute resolution) has its own separate tryouts process.

Students try out in the fall semester for all teams for the entire academic year. Students can be on 1 external team per semester, regardless of type.

Students should carefully review the list of competition teams and familiarize themselves with each tryouts process before registering!

2023-2024 Appellate Moot Court Team Tryouts Information

Tryouts for moot court (appellate) teams consist of three parts – (a) completion of the tryouts registration form, (b) submission of a writing sample and (c) oral arguments. All interested students, both new and returning members, must go through the tryouts process.

  • Step 1 – Tryout Registration: All students interested in trying out for appellate teams must first complete a Moot Court Tryouts Registration Form. The form must be submitted by September 13, 2023.
  • Step 2 – Submit Brief-Writing Sample: To finalize tryouts registration, students must submit a writing sample to advocacyprogram@lsu.edu. The writing sample is due by September 13, 2023. The type of writing sample required is determined based on a student’s year in law school:
    • 2Ls: Second-year students trying out for a moot court external team must participate in this year’s Tullis Moot Court Competition.  2Ls must submit the Argument section of their Tullis brief for the issue they write on as their Tullis writing sample. (2Ls: note that Tullis briefs are due on Sept. 9!)
    • 3Ls: Third-year students trying out for a moot court external team may submit either the Argument section on their issue from last year’s Tullis problem or a legal writing sample of no more than 10 pages.  3Ls trying out for a moot court external team are not required to have participated in last year’s Tullis Competition.
  • Step 3 – Present Oral Arguments at Tryouts: Oral argument tryouts will be held in the evening on September 19 and 20, 2023. The tryouts require all participants (2L and 3L) to present a 7-minute oral argument to a panel of Moot Court coaches. Oral arguments will utilize this year’s Tullis Competition problem.  For oral argument. participants may choose which of the two questions presented they wish to argue and which side they wish to represent. Students must wear business attire to the oral argument.
  • See our Resources page and attend our Fast Track Friday workshops for assistance in preparing for tryouts!

 

2023-2024 Trial Advocacy Team Tryouts Information

Trial advocacy (mock trial) external team tryouts require interested students to present portions of a mock trial.  All interested students, both new and returning members, must go through the tryouts process. Participation in the  Flory Trial competition is not required to try out for a trial advocacy external team.

  • Step 1 – Tryout Registration: All students interested in trying out for mock trial teams must first complete a Trial Advocacy Tryouts Registration Form.  The form must be submitted by August 26, 2023.
  • Step 2 – Prepare Case Parts Presentation: Each student must prepare certain parts of a mock criminal trial using the fall semester’s Flory Trial Competition problem.
    • 2L students must prepare an opening statement for the side of their choice. The opening statement can be a maximum of 7 minutes long. (We do not expect you to fit an entire opening statement neatly into 7 minutes!) Students can choose to represent the prosecution or the defense.
    • 3L students must prepare a cross-examination of a witness, which can be no longer than 7 minutes. For the cross examination, you can assume that any necessary statements were made by the witness that are consistent with the case file, but if you wish to use an exhibit you will need to lay the foundation and use it. Students can choose to represent the prosecution or the defense.
  • Step 3 – Present Case Parts at Tryout: You will present your case parts in a tryout in the Robinson Courtroom on August 31 or September 1, 2023. (Times TBD.) You do not need to wear a suit for this tryout.
  • See our Resources page and attend our Fast Track Friday workshops for assistance in preparing for tryouts!

2023-2024 Dispute Resolution Team Tryouts Information

Dispute resolution and transactional team tryouts will require students to present a brief pre-negotiation strategy presentation. All interested students, both new and returning members, must go through the tryouts process.

  • Step 1 – Tryout Registration: All students interested in trying out for dispute resolution teams must first complete a Dispute Resolution Tryouts Registration Form. The form must be submitted by September 11, 2023.
  • Step 2 – Prepare Pre-Negotiation Strategy Presentation: Students should first download and read the 2023 Dispute Resolution External Team Tryouts Case File. The Tryouts Case File contains detailed instructions on precisely what students must do to prepare for the pre-negotiation strategy presentation.
  • Step 3 – Present Pre-Negotiation Strategy Presentation at Tryout: Students will present their pre-negotiation strategy presentation on September 14 or 15, 2023. (Times TBD.) You do not need to wear a suit for this tryout.
  • See our Resources page and attend our Fast Track Friday workshop series for assistance in preparing for tryouts!