Three weeks ago, I participated in a Moot Court 1L competition. The Moot Court Honors Board fields teams to participate in competitions with other law schools. The Cal Western teams are very competitive with a very good success rate.
The process to select the traveling teams is a little complicated. First, the MCHB holds a competition for student teams. The competitions ranges from mock trial to appellate to negotiation. From the competition, the judges designate certain students who have demonstrated the necessary skill set for advocacy as "Distinguished Advocates" (DA). Second, this status enables the DAs to attend the Trial Skills class. Finally, then the MCHB selects the traveling team competitors from those attending the class.
While the process might be a little lengthy and complicated, the process results in the best advocates on the teams. This ensures success for the traveling teams. While I don't have specific stats, we have been told our teams are very competitive and very successful.
The 1L competition from three weeks ago was a mock trial competition. The MCHB held a workshop to teach the basics. Held on a Saturday, we learned about how to deliver an opening and a closing statement. Some of us were even given the opportunity to try out our talents.
The workshop was very informative. We were taught the do's and don'ts for the statements. The leaders also instructed on developing a theme and a theory for your client's side of the story. We then saw an example of an opening and closing statement. The MCHB then let us loose.
We first had to sign up to be a part of the competition. A little over 85 students signed up for the competition. We were given a little over a week to prepare for our portion. The premise was simple: choose a side and choose a statement. I chose defense opening - I felt this was the hardest to accomplish.
On a Monday and a Tuesday, we each performed our statement in front of three judges. The judges not only scored us, they also provided feedback on our performance. The feedback from Monday, I incorporated into my performance on Tuesday. But, prior to Monday's performance I gave my statement to my Legal Skills professor who gave me awesome feedback. I believe she helped me a ton with my performance.
The scores from both nights were totaled and then the competition committee chose the top 15 scores to return on Thursday for the final round. From the final 15 the judges would chose the best 3 for the winners and then designate some of the participants as DAs.
Because of my Legal Skills professor, I was one of the top 15. The finals night was not like the other two nights. Besides the three judges and the timekeeper, we were now performing in front of our classmates and other professors. Talk about upping the stress and nervous levels!
In the end, all 15 finalists were chosen to become DAs. At this school, becoming a DA is held in high-esteem. You can consider it a small step towards becoming a lawyer. Not everyone gets to be a DA. Only those who actually sign up for the competition and then only those who were the best can become DAs.
The competition was a great experience. Learning how to deliver an opening/closing statement was fun. Delivering the statement in front of the judges was fun. And the final competition was even more fun. Of course, when you get selected as a DA that's even better. I had so much fun, I am considering changing the type of lawyer I wanted to be. I originally wanted to be a transactional lawyer, but, now I am drawn to litigation - court room litigation. Maybe even changing from business to criminal!
I believe all students should give the moot court competitions a try. Even though I really don't have the time and I am already a DA, I've signed up for the next competition open to 1L students. I'm going to see if I can win it this time. And, of course, be considered a DA yet again.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Sad Week
Well, last blog I hinted I would write about something specific. This blog is not it. Instead, I am going to write about a phenomenon which happens the week after grades are released.
Two weeks ago grades were released. Some first year students were happy, some were indifferent, some were sad. But student reflected on the prior semester to determine what he or she did correctly and what he or she did incorrectly. Unfortunately for a small percentage, the reflection led to a difficult choice: to leave law school.
The school policy sets the refund amount for students who withdraw in the middle of a semester. Usually, the school refunds 75% of the tuition for the current semester after 4 weeks. The school tends to release grades in the fourth week of the next semester (remember the school is on a trimester schedule but I use the word semester for ease of the discussion).
The school does allow an exception to the refund policy. For those students who did not perform well at all on finals, the Associate Deans Office will write a letter to these students offering the student a chance to withdraw and receive 100% of the current semester tuition back. This offer remains open for 10 business days.
I do not know when these letters are given to those students; but, I do know this past week several seats remained empty which should have held a classmate. Some students never returned after grades were released on January 28th. Others left this week.
This was a tough choice for those students. The school allows students with a 74 or higher to remain in the school. This means any first year student who performed poorly on the first semester tests had a chance to raise his or her overall average above a 74 with the second semester grades. Of course, the likelihood of this is small; but not zero.
Two of my classmates did not necessarily leave because of grades alone. Both evaluated their desires, their grades, and the effort required of them and decided to withdraw to pursue other plans. One said to regroup the brain. He/she might return to law school later, he/she just wasn't sure.
But, this week my section lost 9 students. Some I knew more personally than others. Didn't matter which category the student fell into as their empty seat brought sadness. Sad they left. Sad for them personally.
This past week was a sad week. Time to put the week behind me and move forward, just like those classmates who moved onto other career paths in their lives.
Two weeks ago grades were released. Some first year students were happy, some were indifferent, some were sad. But student reflected on the prior semester to determine what he or she did correctly and what he or she did incorrectly. Unfortunately for a small percentage, the reflection led to a difficult choice: to leave law school.
The school policy sets the refund amount for students who withdraw in the middle of a semester. Usually, the school refunds 75% of the tuition for the current semester after 4 weeks. The school tends to release grades in the fourth week of the next semester (remember the school is on a trimester schedule but I use the word semester for ease of the discussion).
The school does allow an exception to the refund policy. For those students who did not perform well at all on finals, the Associate Deans Office will write a letter to these students offering the student a chance to withdraw and receive 100% of the current semester tuition back. This offer remains open for 10 business days.
I do not know when these letters are given to those students; but, I do know this past week several seats remained empty which should have held a classmate. Some students never returned after grades were released on January 28th. Others left this week.
This was a tough choice for those students. The school allows students with a 74 or higher to remain in the school. This means any first year student who performed poorly on the first semester tests had a chance to raise his or her overall average above a 74 with the second semester grades. Of course, the likelihood of this is small; but not zero.
Two of my classmates did not necessarily leave because of grades alone. Both evaluated their desires, their grades, and the effort required of them and decided to withdraw to pursue other plans. One said to regroup the brain. He/she might return to law school later, he/she just wasn't sure.
But, this week my section lost 9 students. Some I knew more personally than others. Didn't matter which category the student fell into as their empty seat brought sadness. Sad they left. Sad for them personally.
This past week was a sad week. Time to put the week behind me and move forward, just like those classmates who moved onto other career paths in their lives.
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