Contact

2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, California
94117-1080

Phone Number: 415-422-5118

Email: usfmootcourt@hotmail.com

What We Do

The University of San Francisco Moot Court Program is one of the only student-run programs of its kind in the country. The primary responsibilities of the Moot Court Program include overseeing the intramural Advocate of the Year Competition in the Fall and administering the Moot Court academic program in the Spring.

In the Fall, the Board organizes the Advocate of the Year Competition (AYC).  AYC is an intramural appellate advocacy competition open to all second, third, and fourth year students who have successfully completed the Spring academic program. AYC occurs over a series of weekends and culminates in a final competition where the school’s two top oral advocates argue before a panel of distinguished local judges.

In the Spring, the Board oversees the instruction of the required first year Moot Court academic program. First year students are organized into small groups and are assigned a Case Counsel to guide them through brief writing and oral advocacy portions of the program. All students are given a Problem consisting of a “Statement of the Case” and a “Statement of the Facts,” which present the procedural and factual history of the case. Students within each group are then assigned to represent either the Petitioner or Respondent before dividing up to research and write their appropriate briefs. After the brief writing phase and before the final oral argument portion of the program, the students are extensively coached on oral advocacy techniques and are given an opportunity to videotape and review their arguments. During the final oral argument weekend, students present their argument against an opponent and before a panel of USF alumni serving as appellate judges. Those students who excel at the brief writing and oral advocacy portions of the program are recognized with “Best Brief” and “Best Oral Argument” awards.

Upon successful completion of the Moot Court academic program, all students are encouraged to apply to become Case Counsel for the following academic year so that they may continue this wonderful tradition of advocacy at USF.