Moot Court v. Secondary Journal: The effect on employment Forum

[09042014]

Can those knowledgeable discuss the ramifications of choosing one of the two over the other?

For the sake of debate, pretend law review isn't an option.

Is moot court a suitable replacement for a journal in the eyes of employers. Does the choice between trans/lit change the decision at all?

[dpk711]

From what I've heard, secondary journals are better than moot court unless you win.

[98234872348]

.

[Geist13]

I noted this in another thread but I think it's worth voicing again. It seems to me like you can work on oral advocacy skills in a bunch of different ways (your school's trial practice course, certain seminars, clinics etc.). Journal experience (and the skills and "prestige," if any, that accompany it) can really only come from working on a journal. So while you can be a journal and still work on oral advocacy skills, you can't really do moot court and work on journal skills (unless your school allows you to do both).

[bex]

Does your school allow you to do both? If so, then try to make both even if it is a lot of work (and it will be).

[09042014]

Does your school allow you to do both? If so, then try to make both even if it is a lot of work (and it will be).

But I'm trying to do as little work as possible.

[2LLLL]

Tough call, and depends on what school you go to. If you're not in the T14 (or whatever the break-off is, seems like it changes with every post based on the commenter's school), then I'd say you probably would want to have both on your resume if you don't have LR. Also, not all secondary journals are created equal....

[Holly Golightly]

The real question he wants to ask:

Is it okay if I tell employers at OCI that I'm going for moot court, and that's why I'm not on a secondary journal (when in reality I just really don't want to do extra work and probably won't even go out for moot court)?

[09042014]

The real question he wants to ask:

Is it okay if I tell employers at OCI that I'm going for moot court, and that's why I'm not on a secondary journal (when in reality I just really don't want to do extra work and probably won't even go out for moot court)?

Or possibly that I missed secondary journal.

[bex]

Does your school allow you to do both? If so, then try to make both even if it is a lot of work (and it will be).

But I'm trying to do as little work as possible.

I guess then it would depend on the journals. Are any of them more well-known publications? Are there any that focus on the area of law you want to go into? I would probably say secondary journal is better for your resume, but as someone who does both, I can definitely say that moot court gives me way more to talk about, and it's certainly a lot more fun, especially if you like competing.

[cornellbeez]

I don't think it really matters that much. I would err towards doing a journal over simply being a participant in moot court. However, if you make it as any sort of finalist in moot court, that's probably more impressive than just being an associate editor on a secondary journal. Of course, at that point, you would have already gone through on-campus interviews.

And arguably, participating in moot court requires more time than being an associate editor on a secondary journal. I would do the write-on competition anyway, if that's what you are thinking of giving up.

[Anonymous User]

Anon so my classmates do not know what I think of them.

Not getting onto journal tells everyone that you are too stupid or too lazy to get onto it. You'll need to rebut that perception. The answer to your question depends on how your school does moot court and if the secondary journals are respected at all. Do you mean winning competitions or being president of the club that runs them?

If it is like my school being on the secondary journal would be better because it is well respected, but I see most secondary journals as worse than moot court.

[blsingindisguise]

I will tell you a strange thing about this -- throughout law school I was told "moot court doesn't matter," but I recently had two job interviews at pretty decent firms where interviewers really pressed me about why I didn't do moot court. If you want to litigate, it seems to have some potential value and I sort of regret not doing it, especially since I think I would have enjoyed it.