Invitations to the competition will be mailed out in the next week or so, but (due to an explosion of interest in the competition) GW Law’s Moot Court Board has seen fit to release the following teaser of this year’s competition:
For over 20 years, the Harold H. Greene & Joyce Hens Green National Security Law Moot Court Competition at The George Washington University Law School has provided law students from across the country a unique opportunity to argue difficult—and vital—legal issues raised by the ever-evolving subject of national security law before judges from the national security law community. Recent competitions have featured issues ranging from the legality of extraordinary rendition, and the First Amendment repercussions of the Espionage Act, to the constitutionality of the “material support” provisions of the Antiterrorism Act. Adjudicated by an array of jurists and practitioners who specialize in national security law, the competition has developed into one of the premier fora for our nation’s budding advocates to hone their oral advocacy skills in this continually growing field. In addition, the competition’s final round has traditionally featured prestigious judges and experts in the field, including:
For over 20 years, the Harold H. Greene & Joyce Hens Green National Security Law Moot Court Competition at The George Washington University Law School has provided law students from across the country a unique opportunity to argue difficult—and vital—legal issues raised by the ever-evolving subject of national security law before judges from the national security law community. Recent competitions have featured issues ranging from the legality of extraordinary rendition, and the First Amendment repercussions of the Espionage Act, to the constitutionality of the “material support” provisions of the Antiterrorism Act. Adjudicated by an array of jurists and practitioners who specialize in national security law, the competition has developed into one of the premier fora for our nation’s budding advocates to hone their oral advocacy skills in this continually growing field. In addition, the competition’s final round has traditionally featured prestigious judges and experts in the field, including:
- Federal appeals court and district court judges, such as the Hon. Patricia Wald (D.C. Circuit)
- William Barr, a former Acting Attorney General of the United States
- James Woolsey, a former Director of Central Intelligence
- Former directors of the FBI
- Former solicitors general of the United States
Each year, the competition focuses on an aspect of national security law that is both “cutting-edge” and topical, in hopes of offering competitors a chance to delve into an area of the field that is both exciting and of real relevance. The details of this year’s competition problem will not be made public until the problem’s official release in November—but I am able to inform you that the burgeoning world of “cybersecurity” will be featured.
Contestants are eligible for awards and prizes recognizing their excellence in brief writing, oral advocacy, and overall team performance. In addition, all competitors are invited to attend the competition’s official dinner on Saturday, February 9 (which is traditionally held at a downtown DC venue) to network and exchange “war stories” from the first day of the competition.
The three rounds of the competition will take place from Saturday, February 9 through Sunday, February 10, and include a preliminary round, a semifinal round, and a final round. Each team will compete twice in the preliminary round, guaranteeing that all teams will have multiple opportunities to showcase their oral advocacy skills. In addition, all competitors are encouraged to attend the final round, when awards will be distributed and final arguments will take place in front of a panel of highly esteemed judges.
Interested teams are asked to register as soon as their invitation is received! To ensure that your school is on the invite list, or to request to be added to the list, please contact us at NSLMootCourt@gmail.com. The registration fee is $400 per team, or $650 for two teams from the same law school. All registrations must be received by Friday, November 16, 2012. Participation is limited to the first 26 teams that respond. A maximum of two teams per school may register. The competition problem will be released on November 19, 2012, and competitor briefs will be due in final form no later than January 17, 2013.
Please direct all inquiries regarding the competition to NSLMootCourt@gmail.com. We’re looking forward to seeing you in February.
