Syracuse University College of Law - Moot Court and Trial Team

Moot Court and Trial Team

Because of its extensive advocacy skills program, the College of Law has won numerous national moot court competitions. In the past 16 years, its teams have won 3 national trial championships, 15 Northeast regional first place awards, and 5 best-advocate-in-the-nation awards. Five times in the past 9 years the College of Law has been invited to the National Invitational Tournament of Champions, featuring the nation's 12 best teams. Syracuse has won other national awards in appellate, minority rights, and international tax competitions.

During the 2012-2013 academic year, the Syracuse Securities Dispute Resolution Triathlon Team was awarded the Advocates' Choice Award, which goes to the team with the highest degree of skill, competence, and professionalism. The Black Law Student Association Trial Team competed in the National Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition and placed second overall in the regional competition. In March 2013, Syracuse's National Trial Team won the regional competition during the American Association for Justice Student Advocacy Competition. In November 2012, the Syracuse National Appellate Team competed in the Northeast Regional Rounds and advanced to the National Finals. Out of 196 teams from 150 schools competing, Syracuse finished in fourth place for their brief and 12th place overall for oral arguments. Syracuse's National Civil Trial Team advanced to final rounds of the National Civil Trial Competition undefeated, earning the two best advocate awards and ultimately the Championship.

In March 2008, the College of Law placed in the semi-finals in the National Trial Competition in Austin, TX. In addition, the College of Law finished with the best record of New York state law schools. In April 2008, Syracuse was awarded the prestigious New York State Bar Association Tiffany Cup and a $5,000 scholarship for the college.

In the Fall of 2007, Syracuse's undefeated Tournament of Champions team placed third in the nation. The Tournament of Champions is a national invitational tournament in which the nation's 16 schools with the best two year record in the National Trial Competition and the AAJ are invited to participate. The College of Law's National Appellate Team also won the Northeast regional finals. The team went undefeated and earned the highest score in the first three rounds, then won the finals in a unanimous decision. Also in the Fall of 2007, Syracuse bested 39 teams by placing 1st in the National Trial Competition, Buffalo regional.

In 2006, a team of three students won the national championship at the second annual Sexual Orientation Moot Court Competition at the UCLA School of Law. The competition included 16 law school teams from across the country.

In the Fall of 2005, the College of Law advanced to the semifinal round in the ABA Northeast Regional Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy competition in New Haven, Connecticut. That same year, Syracuse won the Northeast Regional round for the Thomas Tang Moot Court competition in Boston, MA, and won the Best Brief Award for the Sojourner Truth National Appelllate Competition.

In 2002 a team of four students finished second in the National Civil Trial Competition and a second year student won overall best advocate. In 2002 and 2003 the College of Law participated in the 3rd Annual Quinnipiac University School of Law's Northeast Regional Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy competition. Another event was the 12th annual Cat Bennett Criminal Trial Advocacy competition, as sponsored by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

From 1998-2001, Syracuse was the first place winner in three Sojourner Truth National Appellate Competitions, and won the Best Brief Award each year. In 2000, the College of Law was the national champion in the Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition and regional champions in 2001. The Tax Team won the Oral Competition in the 2001 National Tax Moot Court Competition.

For more than 30 years, Syracuse's National Trial Team achieved the best record in Region II competition, winning 15 Regional Championships, two National Championships, one National Championship Runner-Up Award, three National Best Advocate Awards, and numerous Regional Advocacy Awards. From 1989-2001, the College of Law was invited to participate in the Tournament of Champions fall competition. The competition is only open to the 16 law schools with the best trial team records over the preceding three years. From 1983-2001, Syracuse's ATLA Trial Team won one National Championship, plus numerous regional awards.

From 1998-2001, the National Appellate team won the Region I competition with the Best Brief Award and was named a Quarter-Finalist in the 1999 National Finals. Each year, teams of first year students take part in an International Law Moot Court Competition held in Toronto, Canada. Syracuse's team won the championship in 1993.