In the age of COVID-19, collegiate moot court competitions – in which participants simulate an appellate court hearing by arguing the merits of a case – have, like so many other things, gone virtual.

Moot court allows students an opportunity to understand more about American law and legal systems in a practical setting. Taking part in these simulations competing against teams from other institutions, students build critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as a knowledge of legal practices and procedures.

Last month, Eastern Michigan University “hosted” an American Moot Court Association (“AMCA”) Regional Tournament. Almost 500 colleges and universities participated, and Wright Beamer’s Evan Chall, an EMU alumnus, served as one of the “judges” for the competition.

In January, EMU’s Charles Graham and Kelsey Hall bested top teams from Yale, Duke, Michigan State, and the University of Virginia (among others) to win the “overall” National Championship title. EMU will look to defend this title at the National Tournament next year.