Competitions
Competitions are a fun and exciting way for law students to learn and practice skills necessary for effective law practice. Opportunities include writing, client counseling, negotiation, trial practice and moot court competitions and include both intra- and inter-school programs. Many provide chances for travel and getting to work closely with other students and faculty advisers.
Teams selected through internal competitions or application processes
ABA Negotiation Competition
The ABA Law Student Division Negotiation Competition simulates legal
negotiations in which law students, acting as lawyers, negotiate a series of
legal problems. Tryouts to compete in the annual ABA Negotiating Competition are
held in September. Teams consist of four to six members and two
alternates. The UMKC teams have advanced to the national finals 17 of the past
23 years. The problem is distributed October 14, regionals are held at UMKC
November 5-6, and the national competition is February 3-4, 2012. This year’s
competition will be in the area of real property.
Contacts: Professor Robert
Downs & Professor Tony Luppino
ABA Client Counseling Competition
The ABA Law Student Division Client Counseling Competition simulates a
law office consultation in which law students, acting as attorneys, are
presented with a client matter. They conduct an interview with a person playing
the role of the client and then explain how they would proceed further in the
hypothetical situation. The team(s) are selected through an in-house competition
that will be held in November. The problem is distributed February 1 for the
February 11, 2012 competition.
Contact: Professor David
Achtenberg
National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare and Adoption Law
Students participating in this competition argue current critical
issues concerning child welfare and adoption law before a state supreme court.
Team members will be selected by write-on competition in September. The problem
this year will focus "Rethinking Permanency for Older Youth" and will be
released December 2, with briefs due February 3, 2012. The competition is March
9-10, 2012.
Contact: Associate Dean
Barbara Glesner Fines & Adjunct Professor Janelle Jennings Drummond
ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
The ABA Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition
(NAAC) emphasizes the development of oral advocacy skills through a realistic
appellate advocacy experience. Competitors participate in a hypothetical appeal
to the U.S. Supreme Court. The competition involves writing a brief as either
respondent or petitioner and then arguing the case in front of the mock court.
Teams are selected through an application process in October. This year's topic
is “Federal Statutory Medicaid and Health Care Law,” and the problem is released
on November 7. Briefs are due January 9, 2011 and the regional competition will
be in February or March. Finals are April 12-14, 2012.
Contact: Dean Ellen Suni &
Adjunct Professor Danielle Pressler
ELSA Moot Court Competition (EMC²) (International Law)
The European Law Students' Association (ELSA) is a simulated hearing in
the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system. Competitor teams
represent both the Complainant and respondent parties to the case by presenting
oral submissions in front of a panel consisting of WTO law experts. The
competition provides students with the opportunity to put theory into practice,
thereby complimenting their formal legal education. Briefs are due January 19,
2012, and the North American regional rounds will be held at the end of February
or during the first two weeks of March.
Contact: Professor Tim Lynch
Inter-American Human Rights Moot Court
The Inter-American Human Rights Moot Court Competition is a trilingual
(English, Portuguese, and Spanish) competition established to train law students
how to use the Inter-American human rights legal system as a legitimate forum
for redressing human rights violations. Written on a cutting-edge topic
currently debated within the system, the hypothetical case operates as the basis
of the competition. Students argue the merits of this case by writing legal
memoranda and preparing oral arguments for presentation in front of human rights
experts. The problem will be released December 6. The brief is due March 28, and
the competition is in May 2012.
Contact: Professor Rana
Lehr-Lehnardt
Transactional Lawyering Meet
The Transactional Lawyering Meet is for students interested in
transactional practice and requires students to work in teams to draft a
transactional agreement and negotiate its provisions with other teams. Teams
will be judged by a panel of experts who will evaluate success in achieving the
goals of the parties to the transaction. UMKC will have a two-person team
competing at the end of March or beginning of April 2012.
Contacts: Professor Robert
Downs & Professor Tony Luppino
Teams selected through course enrollment
National Moot Court Appellate Advocacy Competition
Teams of the national moot court competition, sponsored by the NYC Bar
Association and American College of Trial Lawyers, are selected from students
who take the Appellate Advocacy through a series on in-school competitions.
Briefs are due October 17. The regional competition will be November 18-19.
Contact: Dean Ellen Suni
Trial Advocacy competitions
Teams for UMKC-sponsored trial advocacy competitions are selected from
those students enrolled in the trial advocacy series of classes beginning in the
second year of law school. An intra-school competition selects the students who
represent the school in regional and national competitions. The law school has
competed in the National Trial Competition coordinated by the American Bar
Association’s section on litigation and the Texas Young Lawyers Association as
well as the American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition.
Contact: Professor Rafe
Foreman
