This is a story about the other moot court.
Every spring semester, USC Law heralds a new Hale Moot Court champion: a 2L who wins the final round of competition over fellow USC Law students. Less well known are the intrepid 3Ls who represent the law school on the national stage in competition with other top law schools.
All Hale Moot Court participants may apply to be on the next National Moot Court Team, but only 10 will be selected. Marlayne (Laney) Ingram ’10 and Faustina Lee ’10 were two of the 3Ls selected to be on the 2009-2010 National Team.
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| Marlayne (Laney) Ingram '10 |
Earlier this month, Ingram and Lee returned from New York after being named Top Ten Oralists nationally at the 2010 Cardozo/BMI Entertainment and Communications Law Moot Court Competition. Hosted annually since 1984 by the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, the competition attracts students from top law schools and practitioners working in business and entertainment law.
Ingram and Lee were semifinalists during the 2008-09 Hale Moot Court and even partnered in some rounds.
“It was in the semifinal rounds that I learned what a great oralist Faustina is,” says Ingram. “When I was looking around for a national moot court partner, I instantly thought of her.”
Ingram and Lee say the faculty went to great lengths to help them prepare for the competition.
“Prof. Rebecca Lonergan heads the program and helped us a lot in developing our advocacy skills,” says Lee. “Prof. Jack Lerner, who is faculty advisor for the IP & Technology Law Society for which I was chair, was very excited about the competition problem. He came to campus late one night to help us prepare even though his wife was expecting that very week!”
They also acknowledged adjunct professors Rachel Capoccia, Carole Handler, and Jonathan Stern, who shared their expertise in entertainment and copyright law.
Ingram and Lee say that representing their law school on a national stage added to the excitement of the competition.
“We met a lot of people from other schools, and it was interesting to see their different styles of mooting,” says Lee.
Ingram says they were also exposed to many practitioners, including top business and copyright attorneys who served as judges.
“It was great to represent USC Law and have everyone see that we have a really strong moot court program and well-prepared students,” says Ingram. “When they complimented us, they were complimenting the school, and we took that to heart.”
“They also said they could tell we were from California, because we were so laid back!” says Lee. “That speaks to the collegiality of USC Law.”
“I think a lot of people don’t know that national moot court exists,” says Ingram. “Maybe by talking about it, we can encourage more people to sign up next year and be ambassadors for USC Law. Participating can do a lot to increase the school’s presence nationally.”
For Lee, who has been interested in IP and patent law since her undergraduate days as an electrical engineering major, moot court has been her best law school experience.
“I’m not a person who likes to get up and talk in front of people, but this really gave me the confidence to express my thoughts out loud, and it’s really helped me with legal writing.”
Ingram says participating in the moot court competition is helpful even for students like her who have not yet chosen a career path.
“I know that I really enjoy business- and IP-related issues and that Moot Court will help me no matter what I do,” she says. “Composure under pressure is one of the biggest things you can’t teach anyone. Going before a panel of judges who ask you really tough questions prepares you to think on your feet, to keep cool in interviews and generally helps you get past stage fright in any aspect of life.”
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