Advocacy Requirements
All first year law students are required to attend two advocacy events, one based in trial advocacy and one based in appellate advocacy, to expose them to various aspects of the litigation process and prepare them for upper level courses.
Please note: In the event you have yet to complete both portions of the requirements by the end of the academic year, your class rank will be withheld at that time until both portions of the requirements are satisfied. Weekend JD students have two years to complete these requirements.
Requirement 1 of 2: Trial Advocacy Event
Each 1L student must fulfill the 1L Trial Advocacy Requirement by serving as a juror at one of the final trials of the upperclassmen in a Trial Practice course or as a bailiff/timekeeper for a pre-approved mock trial competition.
Through either experience, first year students are given an opportunity to observe a full-length trial. Jurors have the added opportunity to render a verdict. There are several dates each year students may complete this requirement.
Please note: There are limits to how many students may sign up for each day, and all students are required to complete this activity, so please sign up for a date as soon as possible.
See the following dates for 1L fall semester jury duty. Sign up for fall semester jury duty through this link.
- Sunday, October 5, 2025 from 2 p.m. to 6:10 p.m. on campus
- Saturday, November 15, 2025 from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on campus
- Sunday, November 16, 2025 from 2 p.m. to 6:10 p.m. on campus
- Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 5:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Daley Center
Requirement 2 of 2: Appellate Advocacy Event
Each 1L student must fulfill the 1L Appellate Advocacy Requirement by serving as a bailiff/timekeeper or otherwise observing one round of an appellate argument at a pre-approved moot court (appellate) competition.
This allows first year students to observe the appellate process. There are several dates each year students may complete this requirement.
Please note: There are limits to how many students may sign up for each day, and all students are required to complete this activity, so please sign up for a date as soon as possible.
Appellate Advocacy Events
- Region 10 National Moot Court Competition
November 22, 2025, to November 23, 2025.
Bailiffs needed.
Sign up for this event
All first year law students are required to attend two advocacy events, one based in trial advocacy and one based in appellate advocacy, to expose them to various aspects of the litigation process and prepare them for upper level courses.
Please note: In the event you have yet to complete both portions of the requirements by the end of the academic year, your class rank will be withheld at that time until both portions of the requirements are satisfied. Weekend JD students have two years to complete these requirements.