Law Students Compete in New York

A team of students from the William S. Boyd School of Law participated in the Brooklyn Law School Annual Prince Evidence Competition this spring in New York. The students are part of the Society of Advocates, a moot court team in the law school.

The students on the team were given a problem based on evidence and worked together to research and write a brief for the case. After submitting their brief, the team worked with their coach, professor Michael Higdon, to prepare their oral arguments which they presented in competition with 36 schools nationwide.

“It was an amazing experience to meet teams from across the country,” says Sara Almo, a second year law student and member of the team. “The experience was something we learned a lot from and being in that environment was invaluable.”

Preparation for the competition focused heavily on research and writing the brief and legal arguments. Almo says that she felt confident in their team’s ability because of the preparation and training they’ve received through the Boyd School of Law, which is ranked third in the nation for its Lawyering Process Program, which includes legal writing, research, and oral advocacy.

Almo says the preparation and experience she’s had in the moot court setting has made a big difference in her career search. “I learned that litigation is more interesting to me, and it’s an area I want to focus on,” says Almo. “Employers have been impressed with the moot court experience and it definitely has given me a leg up in interviews.”

Fellow teammate Patrick Millsap also says the experience of participating in the competition is preparing him professionally. “What I enjoyed most was the opportunity to continue developing as a writer and advocate.  I really feel like the experience was pertinent to my future career because many lawyers serve as professional writers,” says Millsap. “This opportunity helped to refine my ability to phrase arguments persuasively and impact an audience through the written word.”

Unrestricted funds from the Dean’s Discretionary Fund in the Boyd School of Law allow Dean White to support the activities of the Society of Advocates such as the chance for students to travel to competitions to enhance their educational experience and the opportunity for students and the school to gain national recognition.