1 Competition Format

COMPETITION FORMAT

The Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition tests the oral and written advocacy skills of law students in appellate court litigation. The legal problem drafted each year involves timely issues of national importance to the practice of environmental law.

ORAL ROUNDS

Scoring in the preliminary rounds is based on a combination of the brief score and scores from the oral rounds. Scoring in the quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds is based solely on oral performance. Oral arguments begin with two preliminary rounds on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 are followed by the third preliminary & quarterfinal rounds on Thursday 18, and conclude with the semifinal rounds on Friday, February 19. The Final Round will take place Saturday, March 6, 2021 virtually. Each argument will feature three adverse teams. Judges evaluating the oral arguments include attorneys with environmental law expertise, members of the Pace environmental law faculty and judges from the Nation’s courts. Final round judges will be members of the federal bench and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Appeals Board.

AWARDS

Awards are conferred on the winners in each of the following categories:

Winning Team Finalist Teams (two) Best Oralist Best Oralist-Honorable Mention David Sive Award for Best Brief Best Briefs (representing the two remaining parties) Semifinalist Teams

The Competition’s perpetual trophy is awarded to the winning team. The trophy is an original watercolor, DAWN-STORM KING, by John Hulsey, a Hudson Valley artist. The painting is featured on the cover of this program. The trophy is currently resides at Florida State University College of Law, winner of the 2020 Competition, and will be passed on to the 2021 Competition winner. The Best Brief awards are printed by the Pace Environmental Law Review.