3rd Annual National Sexual Orientation Law Moot Court Compettion

So, Mad Professah spent nearly 5 hours at UCLA Law School Saturday morning judging the first two rounds of the 3rdANSOLMCC (quite a mouthful as an acronym). The experience was a whole bunch of fun!

All the student competitors were well-prepared, smart and eager. Some spoke too fast, some not fast enough. Others were very responsive to the judges' questions, some not responsive enough. My fellow judges were practicing attorneys, retired attorneys, recent law school graduates and academics like myself.

Although my personal sympathy was with the Petitioners (the side asking that the statute effectively banning adoption in the state of New Texico by same-sex couples who have cohabited for at least 6 months), the Respondents had current law and precedent on their side and it was fascinating to listen and appreciate the skill and creativity of all the advocates as they tried to argue the same sets of facts in their favor.

The finals of the Moot Court competition will be on Friday February 23 at the William Institute's 6th Annual Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy Update, judged by The Honorable Justices Barbara Madsen and Susan Owens of the Washington State Supreme Court and The Honorable Judge Raymond Fisher of the Ninth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals.