[Law26] Old Kivett Advocacy Course and Competition + Information regarding Appellate Advocacy Team

[Matney, Mary A]

Good afternoon,

I hope you all are having a great summer! I wanted to reach out and make sure you don't miss an amazing learning experience. Every year, Campbell's Old Kivett Advocacy Council hosts the Richard A. Lord Moot Court Competition to test the second-year law students' aptitude for appellate advocacy. Appellate advocacy stands as a crucial skill for attorneys in practice. When appellate courts, such as the U.S. Supreme Court or the North Carolina Court of Appeals, review a case, they make a decision that will affect many cases to follow. Advocates submit briefs to the appellate court in advance, and all parties have time to deliberate on the issues of law. This benefit of deliberation means advocates need a deep understanding of legal issues, heightened skill in legal research, fluent familiarity with the facts of their case, and must possess the ability to express all of that succinctly to a panel of judges through written and oral argument. For the competition, you are able to pick a partner and the two of you will write a brief then argue it before the appellate court bench.

Professor Montgomery is teaching a one-credit course this coming semester called Old Kivett Appellate Advocacy. The class will met for four two-hour sessions in total at the beginning of the semester. During the course, Professor Montgomery teaches you the nuts and bolts of writing an appellate brief and making an oral argument on appeal. The course is mandatory for anyone who wants to receive the one-credit hour for competing in the competition. By taking the class and competing,  you will have earned a credit hour. Writing a brief and presenting an oral argument are both tasks you will perform in Advanced Legal Writing.

Please note: For the Academic Year of 2024-2025, it is a requirement to be a member of the Appellate Advocacy Team also known as Moot Court, that you must either participate in this class and competition your 2L year or have taken Advanced Legal Writing by tryouts. Tryouts will be held at a date to be determined shortly after the Lord Moot Court Competition. There are no guarantees that you will make the team if you participate, but this is an incredible opportunity. I knew that I was interested in trial work in law school, yet still took this opportunity to compete in the Lord Moot Court Competition. It was one of my most memorable experiences in law school!

Even if you have no interest in trying out for Moot Court, I ask that you consider taking the course and competing in the intraschool competition. The only way to become a better writer is to practice! The skills you will learn from Professor Montgomery and this experience will be invaluable to you. Competing in this competition not only gives you a head start on becoming a better legal writer, but it also looks great on your resume! It is certainly a conversational piece that you can transition into the skills you bring to future employment positions.

Historically, the problem for moot court tryouts is the same as the problem utilized in Professor Montgomery's course. This means participation in this course does provide you precious practice before you try out for the team. And if I haven't convinced you that you should participate for your own professional betterment, I should add that there is a cash prize for the team who receives the accolade of Best Brief.

Forgive me for my saying, but "back in my day" almost my whole 2L class participated. It was a fun and challenging experience. It provided some healthy competition and also allowed for personal and professional growth. While law school seems long, the time you have left here really is short. You are already one-third of the way through. I implore you to take advantage of the opportunities for growth here while you have them. Grab a friend and step out of your comfort zone. Figure out if appellate practice is for you or if it's not your thing. And if you know it's not your thing that is even more reason to take the course and compete. You're going to have to learn it anyways, so you might as well get a head start in a manner that is fun, exciting and knocks out a credit.

Remember: to compete and try out for Moot Court, you MUST take the Old Kivett Advocacy Council class. It is only offered in the Fall of your 2L year. This is a one-shot opportunity.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Mary Ann Matney
Director of Competitive Advocacy
Phone: (919) 865-4481
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