Competitions for Young Lawyers and Law Students — Trial Skills, Practice Skills, or Moot Court

Law students can participate in highly regarded national practical skills competitions sponsored by ABA member groups. Hone your legal skills while you rub shoulders with fellow law students and legal practitioners from around the country.

Other Young Lawyer and Law Student Opportunities

Career-advancing fellowships, internships & clerkships. Professional recognition through awards and writing competitions. Financial assistance like funded travel and scholarships. Each year the ABA offers 100+ opportunities and programs for young lawyers and law students.

Law Student Division — Arbitration Competition

• Sponsoring ABA Entity: Law Student Division
• Description: This annual competition promotes excellence in arbitration advocacy. Students can participate through their school's programs.
• Deadline: Applications typically open in June and close in November.
  
• Who is eligible: Law Students

Law Student Division — Client Counseling Competition

• Sponsoring ABA Entity: Law Student Division
• Description: This annual competition promotes excellence in arbitration advocacy. Students can participate through their school's programs.
• Deadline: Applications typically open in June and close in November.
  
• Who is eligible: Law Students

Law Student Division — National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC)

• Sponsoring ABA Entity: Law Student Division
• Description: A traditional moot court competition focusing on written and oral advocacy skills. Students can participate through their school's programs.
• Deadline: Applications typically open in June and close in November.
  
• Who is eligible: Law Students

Law Student Division — Negotiation Competition

• Sponsoring ABA Entity: Law Student Division
• Description: The competition simulates legal negotiations in which law students, acting as lawyers, negotiate a series of legal problems. Students can participate through their school's programs.
• Deadline: Applications typically open in June and close in November.
  
• Who is eligible: Law Students

Law Student Division — Mediation Competition

• Sponsoring ABA Entity: Law Student Division
• Description: "The competition introduces law student participants to the challenges of representing clients in mediation. The judging criteria reward those participants who use an effective combination of (i) advocacy and (ii) problem-solving. Advocacy in mediation means that lawyers should advocate for their client’s interests with the mediator. Problem-solving in mediation means that the negotiating attorneys must learn about each other’s clients’ interests and BATNA (Best Alternative To A Negotiated Agreement), use objective standards, brainstorm options, and select and shape a solution that meets their interests. Participants must balance their clients’ interests with the goal of achieving an effective settlement.
• Who is eligible: Law Students

Communications Law — First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition

• Sponsoring ABA Entity: Communications Law
• Description: This competition is designed primarily to introduce minority law students to the practice of media law. The competition offers cash awards for superior performance in appellate briefing and oral argument.
• Deadline: Applications typically close each year in October.
• Who is eligible: Law Students

Learn More or Apply Now

Taxation — Law Student Tax Challenge

• Sponsoring ABA Entity: Taxation
• Description: An alternative to traditional moot court competitions, the Law Student Tax Challenge (LSTC) is organized by the Section’s Young Lawyers Form. The LSTC asks two-person teams of students to solve a complex business problem that might arise in everyday tax practice.
  
  Teams are initially evaluated on two criteria: a memorandum to a senior partner and a letter to a client explaining the result. Based on the written work product, six teams from the J.D. Division and four teams from the LL.M. Division receive a free trip to the Section’s Midyear Meeting, where each team presents its submission before a panel of judges consisting of the country’s top tax practitioners and government officials, including tax court judges.
  
  The competition is a great way for law students to showcase their knowledge in a real-world setting and gain valuable exposure to the tax law community.
• Deadline: Applications typically close each year in November.
  
• Who is eligible: Law Students

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