Created by Prof. Joe Lester, Nova Southeastern,
for the Law School Trial Team Community
Spring Moot Court Competition Information
THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BUT IS AS CURRENT AS OF June 5, 2026.
Competitions are Listed in Chronological Order by Oral Argument Date
National Tax Moot Court Competition
Hosted by Stetson University College of Law in conjunction with The Florida Bar Tax Section, the National Tax Moot Court Competition is a national appellate advocacy competition focused on federal tax law. The competition gives law students from across the country the opportunity to develop their written and oral advocacy skills by preparing an appellate brief and presenting oral arguments before panels of judges and tax law practitioners in Gulfport, Florida.
Date of Oral Argument: January 21–23, 2027.
Date Problem Drops: September 21, 2026.
Date Brief is Due: November 23, 2026.
Format: Registration is limited to 16 teams from law schools throughout the United States. Each team consists of two or three students who must be full-time J.D. or joint J.D./LL.M. candidates at the time of the competition. Students who have already earned their J.D. and are pursuing an LL.M. are not eligible. Schools may request to register more than one team, but additional teams will be permitted only if fewer than 16 schools register. Registration is first come, first served and is complete upon receipt of both the registration form and the required registration fee. Teams receive the competition record on September 21, 2026, may submit requests for clarification by October 5, 2026, and must submit their appellate brief by November 23, 2026 before competing in oral arguments in January.
Awards/Recognition: Awards and recognition are presented to top-performing teams, advocates, and briefs during the competition.
Host School: Stetson University College of Law
Cost: $900 registration fee per team.
Where to Apply: Registration for the 2027 National Tax Moot Court Competition is available through The Florida Bar. Registration closes on September 17, 2026. Apply HERE.
Contact: For questions regarding the competition, contact Professor Brooke J. Bowman, Director of the Moot Court Board at Stetson University College of Law, at bowman@law.stetson.edu.
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Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition — King & Spalding U.S. National Rounds
Presented annually by the International Law Students Association, the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is an international appellate advocacy competition focused on public international law.
Date of Oral Argument: February 17-20, 2027.
Date Problem Drops: The Jessup 2027 Problem is expected to be released on September 15, 2026.
Date Brief is Due: January 12, 2027. Teams must submit both Applicant and Respondent Memorials by this date.
Format: All educational institutions offering a degree, graduate or postgraduate qualification, or training in law, international law, or international relations are eligible to participate. Each institution may enter one team, and each team may be composed of two to five team members. Team members may be selected by any method approved by the institution. Teams may also have up to five Team Advisors, who must be registered. All work product must be the exclusive work of the team members, though Team Advisors may provide general guidance on international law, research, memorial writing, oral advocacy, argument organization, rules interpretation, and pleading strategy.
For the U.S. National Rounds, U.S. teams will compete in one national round instead of regional qualifiers. Under the official 2027 Jessup Rules, each in-person moot consists of 90 minutes of oral pleadings, with Applicant and Respondent each allotted 45 minutes. Oral presentations must be made by two team members, and teams may reserve up to five minutes for rebuttal or surrebuttal. Preliminary rounds generally require each team to compete in four matches, twice as Applicant and twice as Respondent. At the International Rounds, the competition includes Preliminary Rounds, Advanced Rounds, Elimination Rounds, and the World Championship Jessup Cup Round.
Awards/Recognition: The Jessup recognizes the World Championship Team, memorial-writing awards, individual oralist awards, and the Spirit of the Jessup Award. The official rules identify awards including the Jessup Cup, the M. Cherif Bassiouni Award, the Alona E. Evans Award, the Ved P. Nanda Awards, the Richard Baxter Awards, and the Spirit of the Jessup Award.
Host Organization: International Law Students Association. The 2027 King & Spalding U.S. National Rounds will be held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Cost: For U.S. teams, the registration fee is $1,090.
Where to Apply: Team registration opens on August 3, 2026, through ILSA. The deadline for registration, payment, and submission of team rosters is November 20, 2026. Apply HERE.
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William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition
Hosted by Mitchell Hamline School of Law, the William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition is an inter-scholastic appellate moot court competition focused on civil rights law. The competition is held in a 100% virtual format and is designed to promote interest in civil rights law while helping students develop their written and oral advocacy skills. Each team writes an appellate brief on a civil rights issue and presents oral arguments before panels of attorneys and judges.
Date of Oral Argument: March 2-5, 2027. Preliminary Round 1 will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 2027, at 3:00 p.m. CST.
Preliminary Round 2 will be held on Wednesday, March 3, 2027, at 3:00 p.m. CST. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds will be held on Thursday, March 4, 2027, and the championship round will be held on Friday, March 5, 2027.
Date Problem Drops: November 2026. The problem will be posted to the competition website and emailed to registered teams.
Date Brief is Due: January 2027.
Format: Registration is limited to 16 teams, and teams are chosen by lottery. Each participating school may enter one team consisting of two or three students. If fewer than 16 teams register, schools may be eligible to send a second team, also selected by lottery. Each team is guaranteed two preliminary rounds of oral argument. Eight teams advance to the quarterfinals, followed by semifinal and final rounds. If a team has three members, all members must argue during the preliminary rounds, but only two students may argue in any given round. The competition uses a philosophy of openness, allowing teams to review brief, technical, and oral scores throughout the competition.
Awards/Recognition: Awards are given for First Place, Second Place, Third Place, Best Brief, Best Oral Advocate of the Preliminary Rounds, and Best Oral Advocate Overall.
Host School: Virtual competition hosted by Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
Cost: The registration fee is $475 per team or $900 for two teams, if a second team is selected.
Where to Apply: Registration opens on a date to be announced and closes on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. For registration questions, contact the Mitchell Hamline School of Law Competition Committee at CompetitionsCmte@mitchellhamline.edu.
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National Animal Law Competition
Hosted by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the National Animal Law Competitions bring law students together with animal law practitioners, scholars, and state and federal judges to address complex legal issues in animal protection. The competition problems are drawn from real and emerging issues in animal law, giving students the opportunity to strengthen their written and oral advocacy skills while connecting with leaders in the field. The competition was originally founded in 2004 at Lewis & Clark Law School with support from the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Harvard Law School.
Date of Oral Argument: The final round will take place in person on March 12, 2027, in Portland, Oregon. Semifinal rounds will be held remotely via Zoom, with dates TBD.
Date Problem Drops: TBD.
Date Brief is Due: Written components will be submitted and graded during Winter 2026–2027.
Format: The 2026–2027 season includes two events: the Appellate Advocacy Competition and the Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition. In the Appellate Advocacy Competition, two-person teams submit a written brief and deliver oral arguments for both sides of a complex animal law case. First-year law students are not eligible to participate in the Appellate Advocacy Competition. In the Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition, individual competitors draft a model animal protection bill and fact sheet, then participate in mock lobbying meetings before hypothetical state legislators. Finalists will receive travel and accommodation grants to attend the in-person finals in Portland, Oregon.
Awards/Recognition: Awards and recognition may include Finalists, Runners-Up, Semifinalists, Best Brief, and Best Oral Advocate.
Cost: TBD.
Travel: Finalists will receive travel and accommodation grants to attend the in-person finals in Portland, Oregon.
Where to Apply: Registration opens September 15, 2026.
Contact: For updates or questions, contact events@aldf.org
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National Immigration Law Competition
Hosted by the New York University School of Law Moot Court Board, the National Immigration Law Competition is an external appellate moot court competition focused on cutting-edge issues in immigration law. The competition is open to teams from ABA-accredited law schools other than NYU Law and is designed to help students develop appellate advocacy skills in the immigration law context. The competition is judged by panels of NYU alumni, immigration law practitioners, and, in the final round, federal appellate and district court judges.
Date of Oral Argument: Spring 2027, exact dates TBD. The competition weekend will be held in person at NYU School of Law.
Date Problem Drops: The record is expected to be released after team registration and side assignments are completed. Exact 2027 date TBD.
Date Brief is Due: 2027 brief deadline TBD.
Format: Each ABA-accredited law school may apply to enter one or two teams. Each team consists of two or three students enrolled in a J.D., LL.M., or equivalent law program, but only two students may argue during oral arguments. The competition accepts up to 28 teams. Teams are randomly assigned to write either the Petitioner or Respondent brief and must argue both sides during the competition. The competition includes three preliminary rounds, followed by octofinal, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds. Oral arguments are limited to 30 minutes per team, and Petitioners may reserve up to three minutes for rebuttal. In the preliminary rounds, brief scores count for 50% and oral argument scores count for 50%. Brief scores are weighted less in later elimination rounds and are not considered in the semifinal or final rounds.
Awards/Recognition: Awards include Competition Champion, Runner-Up, Best Brief, Best Oralist, and recognition for teams advancing through the elimination rounds.
Host School: New York University School of Law
Cost: The 2026 rules listed the registration fee as $500 for one team or $800 for two teams. The 2027 registration fee is TBD.
Where to Apply: Registration for the 22nd Annual Immigration Law Competition opens in Fall 2026. Teams should apply through the NYU Moot Court Board’s National Immigration Law Competition registration process once registration opens.
Contact: For questions, contact mootcourt@nyu.edu.
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National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Hosted by the American Bar Association Law Student Division, the National Appellate Advocacy Competition is a national moot court competition that emphasizes the development of oral advocacy skills through a realistic appellate advocacy experience. Competitors participate in a hypothetical appeal to the United States Supreme Court, write a brief as either Petitioner or Respondent, and argue the case before panels of judges and attorneys.
Date of Oral Argument: Regional competitions are expected to take place in February and March 2027. The National Finals are expected to take place in late March or early April 2027. Exact dates and locations are TBD.
Date Problem Drops: TBD. The competition problem is released to registered teams after team members have been identified by name.
Date Brief is Due: TBD. Brief submission deadlines will be posted by the ABA Law Student Division.
Format: Each ABA-approved law school may enter up to two teams, with additional teams permitted if space allows. Each team consists of two or three J.D. students from the same law school. Teams submit a written brief on behalf of either Petitioner or Respondent and participate in oral argument rounds. Regional competitions consist of five rounds, with each team guaranteed at least three rounds. Sixteen teams generally advance to Round 4, and Round 5 winners advance to the National Finals. The National Finals consist of preliminary rounds, followed by octofinals, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the National Championship Round. Oral argument is limited to 30 minutes per team, and Petitioner may reserve up to five minutes for rebuttal.
Awards/Recognition: Awards include Regional Champion, Regional Best Advocate, Regional Best Brief, National
Champion, National Finalist, National Best Advocate, and National Best Brief. The ten best advocates and five highest-scoring briefs are recognized at the regional level, and the National Finals also recognize the best advocates and best brief.
Cost: TBD. Entry fees are posted on the ABA Law Student Division competition website. Competing students must also be ABA Law Student Division premium members.
Where to Apply: Schools may register through the ABA Law Student Division’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition page once 2026–2027 registration opens.
Contact: Questions may be directed to the ABA Law Student Division at NAAC@americanbar.org.
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John J. Gibbons Moot Court Competition
Hosted by Seton Hall University School of Law, the John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition focuses on timely issues of criminal procedure and criminal law. The competition brings together law school teams to brief and argue contemporary criminal law issues in an appellate moot court format.
Date of Oral Argument: 2027 dates TBD, usually early December.
Date Problem Drops: 2027 dates TBD, usually early February.
Date Brief is Due: 2027 dates TBD, usually early March.
Format: The competition accepts up to 32 teams on a first-come, first-served basis. Each school may register one team, with second teams placed on a waitlist if space becomes available. Each team may consist of two or three students, and all team members must participate in writing the brief. Each team writes one brief on behalf of the party of its choice and argues both sides during the preliminary rounds. Advancing teams are announced at the Friday evening competition banquet, and elimination rounds are held on Saturday morning and afternoon.
Awards/Recognition: Awards are presented for first-place team, second-place team, semifinalists, best oralist in the final round, brief awards, and preliminary-round oralist awards.
Host School: Seton Hall University School of Law
Cost: The entry fee is $900 per team. Payment is due by early December.
Where to Apply: Registration begins mid October and continues until the competition is full. Schools must complete the online entry form. After the entry form is submitted, a payment link will be emailed to the team’s contact within seven days.
Contact: Professor Jodi Anne Hudson, Director of the Interscholastic Moot Court Board, at jodi.hudson@shu.edu. Written correspondence may be addressed to Professor Jodi Anne Hudson, The Gibbons Competition, Seton Hall University School of Law, One Newark Center, Newark, NJ 07102-5210.
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Hicks Thomas Moot Court National Championship
Hosted by the University of Houston Law Center, the Hicks Thomas Moot Court National Championship recognizes law schools for sustained excellence in moot court advocacy. Schools qualify for the Championship based on their performance in national moot court competitions during the prior academic year. The ranking system awards points based on competition tier, competition size, prestige, team placement, Best Brief awards, and Best Speaker awards.
Date of Oral Argument: 2027 dates TBD.
Date Problem Drops: 2027 problem release date TBD.
Date Brief is Due: 2027 brief submission deadline TBD.
Format: Teams must consist of two or three J.D. students from the same ABA-approved law school. Each team submits a brief and participates in four preliminary oral argument rounds. The first and fourth preliminary rounds are argued “on brief,” and the second and third rounds are argued “off brief.” After the preliminary rounds, advancement to the quarterfinals is determined by win/loss record, point differential, and brief score. The quarterfinals pair the top eight advancing teams, followed by semifinal and final rounds. Oral argument is limited to 30 minutes per team, with petitioner allowed to reserve up to three minutes for rebuttal.
Scoring: The competition incorporates both written and oral advocacy. In preliminary rounds, oral argument counts for 70% and the brief counts for 30%. In the quarterfinal round, oral argument counts for 80% and the brief counts for 20%. In the semifinal round, oral argument counts for 90% and the brief counts for 10%. In the final round, the winning team is determined entirely by oral argument and a final-round judges’ vote.
Awards/Recognition: The Championship recognizes team performance, Best Brief, and Best Speaker. The broader Hicks Thomas ranking methodology awards points to law schools based on performance in national moot court competitions, including Champion, Finalist, Semifinalist, Quarterfinalist, Best Brief, and Best Speaker awards. To qualify, a school must enter at least five interscholastic moot court competitions and earn points in at least two competitions.
City and Location: University of Houston Law Center, Houston, Texas.
Cost: The 2026 rules listed an entry fee of $650 per team. The 2027 entry fee is TBD.
Where to Apply: Participating schools submit a team information/registration form after the Championship field is set. Additional registration details for the 2027 Championship will be provided by the University of Houston Law Center.
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Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition
Hosted by Stetson University College of Law, the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition is an international appellate moot court competition focused on environmental law. The competition is set in a mock International Court of Justice forum and brings together teams from regional, national, and other qualifying rounds around the world. The competition promotes advocacy, research, and writing on timely issues in international environmental law. For the 2027 cycle, the competition theme and problem are TBD.
Date of Oral Argument: 2027 International Finals dates TBD.
Date Problem Drops: 2027 problem release date TBD.
Date Brief is Due: 2027 memorial submission deadline TBD.
Format: Teams generally qualify for the International Finals through regional, national, or other qualifying rounds. Each team consists of two or three students, though only two students may argue in any individual round. Teams submit a written memorial and participate in oral argument rounds. At the International Finals, teams compete in four preliminary rounds and argue both Applicant and Respondent at least once. The top eight teams advance to the quarterfinals, followed by semifinals and the championship round. Preliminary-round scores are based on one-third memorial score and two-thirds oral argument score. Quarterfinal scores are based on 25% memorial and 75% oral argument. Semifinal scores are based on 10% memorial and 90% oral argument. The championship round is decided solely on oral presentation.
Awards/Recognition: Awards include International Finals Champion, Runner-Up, Semifinalists, Best Overall Memorial, Runner-Up Memorial, Third Place Memorial, top oralists in the preliminary rounds, and Best Individual Oralist in the Championship Round. The competition also recognizes the Spirit of Stetson Award.
Host School: Stetson University College of Law
Cost: 2027 registration fees are TBD. Prior-year International Finals fees varied by schedule, with U.S. teams paying $400 per team, teams from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom paying $300 per team, East Asian and Southeast Asian Regional Round teams paying $200 per team, and all others paying $100 per team.
Where to Apply: Teams participate through regional, national, or other qualifying rounds. Teams from regions without a qualifying round may be eligible for a memorial-only qualifying round. Updated 2026–2027 registration and application information will be posted by Stetson University College of Law.
Contact: International Environmental Moot Court Competition, Stetson University College of Law, 1401 61st Street South, Gulfport, Florida 33707. Email correspondence should be sent to the Competition Committee at
gardner@law.stetson.edu, kpratt2@law.stetson.edu, and okuno@law.stetson.edu.
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Donald C. Hudson Moot Court Competition
Hosted by the Appellate Lawyers Association, the Donald C. Hudson Moot Court Competition is a national appellate moot court competition for students from ABA-accredited law schools. The competition gives law students the opportunity to develop and showcase their written and oral appellate advocacy skills before attorneys, judges, and members of the appellate bar.
Date of Oral Argument: 2026–2027 dates TBD.
Date Problem Drops: TBD.
Date of Brief Submission: TBD.
Format: Each team may consist of up to three law students, though only two students may argue in any single round. Teams submit a written appellate brief on behalf of either Petitioner or Respondent and then compete in oral argument rounds. Each team argues three preliminary rounds, once on each side of the case and once on a randomly selected side. The top eight teams advance to the quarterfinal round, followed by semifinal and final rounds. Each team has up to 30 minutes for oral argument, and Petitioner may reserve up to five minutes for rebuttal. Brief scores are included in the scoring throughout the competition, with the brief weighted most heavily in preliminary rounds and less heavily in later elimination rounds.
Awards/Recognition: Awards include Best Oral Advocate and Best Oral Advocate in the Preliminary Rounds. Teams advancing through the elimination rounds are also recognized through their placement in the competition.
Cost: TBD.
Where to Apply: Registration information for the 2026–2027 competition will be provided by the Appellate Lawyers Association.
Contact: Appellate Lawyers Association. Prior materials list Brad Jarka, ALA Moot Court Committee Co-Chair, at bradleyjarkaALA@gmail.com for competition submissions and questions.
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Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Hosted by American University Washington College of Law’s Moot Court Honor Society, the Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition is a national appellate moot court competition focused on current First Amendment law issues. The competition gives law students the opportunity to strengthen their written and oral advocacy skills by submitting an appellate brief and presenting oral arguments before panels of judges in Washington, D.C.
Date of Oral Argument: 2026–2027 dates TBD.
Date Problem Drops: TBD.
Date Brief is Due: TBD.
Format: Each participating law school may enter one team, consisting of two or three students. Teams submit one brief as either Petitioner or Respondent but should be prepared to argue both sides during the competition. The competition includes three preliminary rounds, followed by octofinal, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds. Each team has 30 minutes for oral argument, and Petitioner may reserve up to five minutes for rebuttal. In preliminary rounds, scoring is based on 30% brief score and 70% oral argument. In octofinals, scoring is based on 20% brief and 80% oral argument. In quarterfinals and semifinals, scoring is based on 10% brief and 90% oral argument. The final round is determined by the final-round panel.
Awards/Recognition: Awards include Competition Champion, Competition Runner-Up, Semifinalists, Top Five Best Briefs, Best Respondent Brief, Best Petitioner Brief, and Top Five Best Oralists.
Host School: American University Washington College of Law
Cost: TBD.
Where to Apply: Registration information for the 2026–2027 competition will be provided by American University Washington College of Law’s Moot Court Honor Society.
Contact: For questions, contact the competition directors at firstamendment.wcl@gmail.com.