Moot Court v. Law Review

[DutchessA]

Or Both...That is the question.

I graded on to law review, but was invited to participate in moot court today. 

I would love to do both, but am concerned that the time commitment would be too much.  Are there any students on here who have done both, or attempted to do both who can give me some feedback as to how it worked for them.

Or, anyone have any input as to which activity is better for a resume.

Thanks.

[giraffe205]

If you had to pick one, LR will serve you best in job prospects/judicial clerkship opportunities. Moot court is much more practical if you want to be a litigator. However, several of the research, analytical, writing, Bluebooking, and editing skills that you learn as a member of law review are also useful for moot court. Most of your moot court experience will involve researching an issue and writing a brief. Of course, you will eventually prepare to argue your brief, but for many competitions the brief is worth at least half of your score.

[Stephon Devante]

Allegedly LR affords you some leeway when it comes grades.. i.e. professors are secretly inclined to bump you up a bit.

BTW, you go to UNC?

[jason1114]

If you had to pick one, LR will serve you best in job prospects/judicial clerkship opportunities. Moot court is much more practical if you want to be a litigator. However, several of the research, analytical, writing, Bluebooking, and editing skills that you learn as a member of law review are also useful for moot court. Most of your moot court experience will involve researching an issue and writing a brief. Of course, you will eventually prepare to argue your brief, but for many competitions the brief is worth at least half of your score.

Good answer... 

In other words, it depends...

[DutchessA]

Nope...T4 in SoCal...I'm into tax law and would like to do some estate planning once I'm done with school, but really enjoyed writing Appellate Briefs this year.  Would love to do a clerkship...for those reasons I think that moot court would be a lot more fun, but LR seems to be the more appropriate choice. 

Allegedly LR affords you some leeway when it comes grades.. i.e. professors are secretly inclined to bump you up a bit.

BTW, you go to UNC?

[jacy85]

Moot court might be more fun, and if you want to do litigation, it could open a few doors.  BUT LR opens those same doors, and many others.  I had a conversation with a professor on this; until I made LR, I was beating myself up for not trying out for moot court.  She just stated that LR provides FAR more opportunities, and there's no real comparing the two.

If you want to clerk, do LR.  There shouldn't be any real choice being made.  If you don't want to clerk, and don't really care about getting into BigLaw or something similarly competitive, and you think moot court will be more enjoyable, then do that.

As many people on this site have pointed out to me, LR isn't fun, and it's not meant to be.  It's something that gives you opportunities in the future.

[kmpnj]

Does your school award credit for LR?  I know some schools do.  If you can get academic credit for LR, then you could do both.

If not, I would say LR.  In looking at NALP's directory, every employer (it seems like, anyway) that does OCI requires law review. 

[DutchessA]

I'll get one credit each until I have six units (ABA standard), then I have to do it for free. 

With moot court, I get one unit per semester automatically.  Then I'll get one additional unit if my brief gets accepted for the first competition. 

I spoke to the professor I'm researching for this summer and he told me to do both (apparently he is the guy who gave me the recommendation for moot court), but really to concentrate on just one.  He stressed the importance of having both LR and MC on my resume because it will make me more marketable in the future (since I go to a T4).

[tinyandi]

Or Both...That is the question.

I graded on to law review, but was invited to participate in moot court today. 

I would love to do both, but am concerned that the time commitment would be too much.  Are there any students on here who have done both, or attempted to do both who can give me some feedback as to how it worked for them.

Or, anyone have any input as to which activity is better for a resume.

Thanks.

I thought you were transferring ;-)

[pinkybella]

DutchessA, I pm'ed you with a question.