About the Competition
Mitchell Hamline School of Law hosts the William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition.
The William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition is an inter-scholastic appellate moot court competition. It is a 100% virtual format. Its goals are to promote interest in all areas of civil rights law and to help interested students develop their oral advocacy and writing skills. Each team will write a brief to an appellate court on a problem involving a civil rights issue. Past problems have addressed warrantless searches, the criminalization of homelessness, and whether short-term disabilities are covered under the ADA.
Each student team will participate in two preliminary rounds of oral argument. The preliminary rounds are followed by the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final round. In each round, students will argue for approximately an hour. Following the deliberations, judges will offer constructive feedback on the students’ performance.
Invitation
Mitchell Hamline School of Law is pleased to invite your school to participate in the 2026-27 William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition. Registration is limited to 16 teams.
The problem will be released in late October.
2026-27 Key Dates
Registration Open: TBA
October | Registration closes Wed. Oct 28, 2026 (Competition is limited to 16 teams)
November | Problem posted to website and emailed to registered teams
January 2027 | Briefs are due
Competition Dates & Times
All times are Central Standard Time (CST).
Preliminary Round 1
- Tuesday, March 2, 2027 – 3:00 pm CST
Preliminary Round 2
- Wednesday, March 3, 2027 – 3:00 pm CST
Quarterfinal
- Thursday, March 4, 2027 – 11:00 am CST
Semifinal
- Thursday, March 4, 2027 – 3:00 pm CST
Championship
- Friday, March 5, 2027- 11:00 am CST
Registration fee and payment
The registration fee is $475 per team or $900 for two teams.
Team composition
Each participating school may enter one team, each team consisting of two or three students. If a team has three members, all must argue in the preliminary rounds but only two may argue in any given round.
Each team argues in a minimum of two preliminary rounds with the opportunity for additional arguments in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final round.
Philosophy of openness
Based on a philosophy of openness with regard to information, participants know where they stand. They are informed regarding their brief and technical scores and the brief and technical scores of the other participating teams prior to their arrival and are able to check their team’s oral scores at various points during the competition using our electronic scoresheet.
Process
- E-mailed copies of briefs will be uploaded through Google Docs and shared with all registered teams along with other Competition updates and important data.
- The substantive arguments of each brief are read by five judges with the high and low scores excluded and the remaining three scores averaged.
- Participants have the opportunity to review and challenge the citation and technical error marks concerning their brief prior to the oral argument phase of the competition.
- Participating teams are guaranteed two arguments in the preliminary rounds and advancing teams could have up to three additional arguments in the advanced rounds.
- Eight teams will move forward to the advanced rounds.
- The oral argument panels that preside over the arguments consist of a diverse cross section of attorneys and judges.
Awards
In addition to First, Second and Third place team awards, there is a team award for Best Brief and two awards for Best Oral Advocates: The Best Oral Advocate of the Preliminary Rounds and the Best Oral Advocate Overall.
Questions?
For registration questions, contact MHSL’s Competition Committee via email ([email protected]). We look forward to your participation.