Current Students
Skills Boards
Welcome and Introduction
David M. Johnson, Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs & Director of Advocacy Programs: djohnson@law.gwu.edu or 202.994.8320
700 20th Street, NW, Room E102
In addition to his duties in Student Affairs, as director of advocacy programs Dean Johson is primarily responsible for assisting students, the skills boards, and student organizations with all aspects of advocacy competitions. This webpage is designed to provide students with the information necessary to participate in thier choice of internal (on-campus) or external (off-campus) competitions. If you have a question or concern regarding any of this information, please do not hesitate to contact Dean Johnson.
SKILLS BOARDS
Lawyering skills competitions and programs, like those managed by the three student boards described below, provide valuable opportunities for students to augment the skills learned in class with realistic training in alternative dispute resolution, trial advocacy, and appellate advocacy.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Board
David Szwarcsztejn, President [email]
202.994.2281
ADR Board website
The ADR Board is an honorary society that promotes student interest and the development of skills in the growing field of dispute resolution. Over the course of the year, the Board sponsors various in-house competitions. The Board also prepares students to compete externally at the regional and national level. Students gain membership on the Board by excelling in ADR competitions.
Annual competitions include:
- Negotiations (fall, internal, non-credit competition open to all students)
- Client Counseling (spring, internal, non-credit competition open to all students)
- Covington & Burling International Arbitration (spring, internal, one credit class only open to upper-level students, the best returning students represent GW at the annual external Vis International Arbitration Competition in either Vienna or Hong Kong)
Recent successes include:
- 2009: won the ABA Regional Client Counseling Competition
- 2008: won the ABA National Client Counseling Competition
- 2008: won the ABA Regional Client Counseling Competition
- 2005: won the ABA Regional Negotiations Competition
- 2004: won the ABA Regional Client Counseling Competition
- 2002: won the ABA Regional Client Counseling Competition
- 2002: won the ABA Regional Mediation Competition
Mock Trial Board
David Myers, President [email]
202.994.3898
Mock Trial Board website
The Mock Trial Board is a student-run honorary society dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in trial advocacy. The Board conducts internal trial competitions, which are held under realistic conditions at D.C. Superior Court and judged by practicing litigators. Based upon performance in these competitions, top student litigators are selected for membership. Members of the Mock Trial Board also represent the Law School at external competitions across the nation. The Law School has achieved national recognition based on the success of Mock Trial Board members in these competitions.
Annual competitions include:
- Cohen & Cohen Mock Trial (fall, internal, one credit class only open to upper-level students, members of the best team win a graduation award)
- Spring Mock Trial (spring, internal, non-credit competition open to all students)
Recent successes include:
- 2008: won the ABA Quinnipiac University School of Law Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition
- 2004: won the American Trial Lawyers Association Regional Competition
- 2004: won the Mid-Atlantic Black Law Students Association (BLSA) Thurgood Marshall Regional Trial Court Competition
- 2003: won the American Trial Lawyers Association Regional Competition
- 2002: Co-Champions of the National Trial Competition Regional
- 2002: won the American Trial Lawyers Association Regional Competition
Moot Court Board
Jocelyn Bond, President [email]
202.994.7070
Moot Court Board website
The Moot Court Board is a student-run honorary society that plays a vital role at the Law School by promoting the development of oral and written advocacy skills. Particular attention is given to fostering excellence in appellate oral advocacy. Membership is offered to first-year law students who achieve exceptional performance in the first-year moot court competition or to upper-class students who achieve distinction in one of the four internal moot court competitions. The board also selects students to represent the Law School at a variety of external competitions.
Annual competitions include:
- Van Vleck Constitutional Law (fall, internal, one credit class only open to upper-level students, members of the best team win a graduation award)
- Giles S. Rich Intellectual Property Law (fall, internal, one credit class only open to upper-level students, the best team represents GW at the external Giles Rich Competition)
- Judge Albert H. Grenadier International Law (spring, internal, one credit class only open to upper-level students, the best returning students represent GW at the annual external Jessup Moot Court Competition and win a graduation award)
- McKenna Long & Aldridge "Gilbert A. Cuneo" Government Contracts (spring, internal, one credit class only open to upper-level students, various awards for the best students)
- First Year (spring, non-credit competition only open to first year students)
- National Security Law (spring, in alternate years, external competition open to all law schools; in order to register and participate, a GW team must be sponsored by the Moot Court Board and/or secure a faculty coach)
Recent successes include:
- 2008: won first and third place in the Scribes Brief Writing Competition
- 2008: won the Regional Giles Rich Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition
- 2007: won the World Championship of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition in Hyderabad, India
- 2006: won the National Native American Law Students Association Moot Court Competition in Seattle, Washington and selected to have best brief and second best oral advocate
- 2006: won the Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C. at the Court of Appeals for the Armed Services and awarded top oralist for the final round
- 2005: won the World Championship of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition in Fukuoka, Japan
- 2005: won the National Center for Animal Law Moot Court Competition at Harvard Law School and selected as best oralist
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
J. Reuben Clark Law Society
This is an international law society composed of attorneys who seek to affirm the strength brought to law by a lawyer's personal religious convictions.
Annual Competition:
- Religious Freedom Moot Court web site. Religious Freedom Moot Court (spring, external competition open to all law schools; in order to register and participate, a GW team must be sponsored by the Moot Court Board and/or secure a faculty coach)
Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF)
SALDF is dedicated to providing a forum for education, advocacy, and scholarship aimed at protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals through the legal system. Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
Annual Competition:
- Animal Law Legislation Drafting and Lobbying Competition (spring, external, non-credit competition open to all law schools)
General Rules Pertaining To All Students Participating In For-Credit Competitions
1. All students participating in a credit-bearing skills competition must come to Student Affairs (1st floor, E Building) and complete an "Intent to Compete in a Skills Competition" form. A separate form must be completed for each competition.
2. An Intent to Compete form does not register a student for the competition; the student must also register if wishing to compete.
3. A credit-bearing competition will not satisfy the legal writing requirement but is worth one credit for participation.
4. These courses are graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. If the requirements are satisfactorily completed, students will receive a grade of Credit regardless of how they finish. If, without an excuse from Dean Johnson, a student fails to compete until eliminated from the competition, complete the written work product, and/or perform the oral argument required in a satisfactory manner, the student will receive a grade of No Credit for this course.
5. Only students acting as attorneys can register for and earn credit. This is most relevant to mock trial where students acting as witnesses are not eligible to register for and earn credit.
6. Students may not earn more than 3 credits from ADR (course 642), Mock Trial (course 645) or Moot Court (course 644) Competitions. A student may, however, do the same competition more than once in different semesters.
7. A student may not drop a competition course without permission from Dean Johnson. Permission to drop will be granted only in unanticipated, exceptional circumstances that are beyond the student’s control.
8. If it is determined that a student committed an act of academic dishonesty in connection with the competition, the student will receive a grade of No Credit for the competition (in addition to any other integrity sanctions) even if previously receiving a grade of Credit for the course.
9. GW Law does not allow students to audit classes. Therefore, in order to participate in a competition, a student must register for the course so as to receive access to the course portal where the problem and announcements are posted.
Registration And Participation In An Internal (On Campus), Credit-Bearing Competition
1. The Moot Court Board sponsors four, upper-level internal skills competitions for credit: Van Vleck Constitutional Law (fall), Giles Rich Intellectual Property (fall), Grenadier International Law (spring), and Government Contracts (spring). In addition, the Mock Trial Board sponsors the upper-level, internal Cohen & Cohen Competition (fall) for credit, and the ADR Board offers the Covington & Burling Internal Arbitration Competition (spring) for credit. No other internal competitions are offered for credit.
2. All competitions are done in teams. If a student has a partner preference, that must be indicated on the Intent to Compete. If a student does not request a partner or the partner requested is unavailable, the competition will attempt to partner them with another student. Regardless, there is no guarantee of securing a partner. Students who are not partnered may participate alone but will be ineligible to advance.
3. Registration for internal skills competitions is completely open until the end of the add/drop period. These courses have no cap (maximum numbers of students that can participate). After add/drop closes, adding or dropping a skills competition will only be allowed with the permission of Dean Johnson.
4. Students are urged to attend information sessions conducted by the skills boards during the add/drop period at the start of each semester. Competition dates and various requirements are provided at that time. If they conflict with your schedule, you will still have time to drop.
5. Students are highly discouraged from competing in more than one competition a semester both because of the work load and the 3 credit maximum.
6. Special needs (inability to compete on a Sabbath day, etc.) must be disclosed on the Intent to Compete form to request an accommodation.
7. US attorney LL.M.s may earn credit but their teams cannot advance in competitions.
8. Visitors and exchange students may earn credit but not Board membership, and their teams cannot advance.
Registration And Participation In An External (Off Campus), Credit-Bearing Competition
1. All three boards (ADR, Mock Trial & Moot Court) participate in external competitions for credit. External competitions are restricted classes and can only be registered for using that blue form, which requires Dean Johnson’s approval. He will consider board membership, prior competition experience and relevant course selection. (For example, Evidence is required for Mock Trial.) Registration will only be allowed prior to the competition.
2. All competitions are done in teams. No student may participate in an external competition without a partner, who is designated on the Intent to Compete.
3. External skills competitions have no cap (maximum numbers of students that can participate). Adding or dropping an external skills competition will only be allowed with the permission of Dean Johnson.
4. Any external competition for which credit is requested must have a faculty member who believes the students are properly prepared and can verify that the credits were earned. (Dean Johnson can act as such faculty member for all Skills Boards teams.) This coach must be one faculty member; the duties cannot be split by various people. The coach must be secured prior to the competition and before teams are allowed to register.
5. Skills boards fund competitions (entry fee, travel and accommodations) for their members. If you are part of another student group sponsoring a team, the group’s budget should be used to cover expenses, and it can approach the SBA for additional funding. Faculty coached, registered teams can also petition Dean Johnson for Law School funding. You may, of course, self-fund as well.
6. Students may not compete in an external and any other competition in one semester because of the work load and the 3 credit maximum.