moot court competition that didn't happen yet on resume Forum

[Anonymous User]

Is it stupid to put something like "xxxx moot court competition prospective competitor" on your resume as an activity? This is a competition that is not the team, but really the Fall 2L qualifying competition that is only school-wide.

[kalvano]

So you haven't yet made the team or the competition? Then no, you shouldn't put it on there.

[Anonymous User]

Some many of my friends have listed moot court on their LinkedIn profiles, but our competition doesn't happen until early October.

[Anonymous User]

OP again:

Well you don't make the competition. You sign up, just like for other activities you may not have actually taken part in (a 2L clinic, for example). It is just for showing that you are doing it as an activity, not representing that you have "made" anything. Other opinions?

So you haven't yet made the team or the competition? Then no, you shouldn't put it on there.

[Tanicius]

If you have a good-faith belief that you will participate in the activity and your participation is not dependent on someone selecting you for it, then I say it's fine.

[kalvano]

OP again:

Well you don't make the competition. You sign up, just like for other activities you may not have actually taken part in (a 2L clinic, for example). It is just for showing that you are doing it as an activity, not representing that you have "made" anything. Other opinions?

In that case, that would be fine, as long as you are guaranteed a spot if you sign up.

[dixon02]

If you just sign up, then isn't everyone at your school a prospective competitor? This just doesn't seem worth the hassle, as I cannot imagine "prospective competitor" carrying any weight whatsoever with an employer. I know at my school there have been situations in the past where people have listed moot court on their OCI resume and then later withdrawn from the competition because they didn't have time. They all then have to send an updated resume with a correction and explanation to all the employers they'd previously submitted to. That is obviously not good and to be avoided. Not sure if this would apply to you if you only put "prospective competitor," but again it just can't be worth it.

[Anonymous User]

If you just sign up, then isn't everyone at your school a prospective competitor? This just doesn't seem worth the hassle, as I cannot imagine "prospective competitor" carrying any weight whatsoever with an employer. I know at my school there have been situations in the past where people have listed moot court on their OCI resume and then later withdrawn from the competition because they didn't have time. They all then have to send an updated resume with a correction and explanation to all the employers they'd previously submitted to. That is obviously not good and to be avoided. Not sure if this would apply to you if you only put "prospective competitor," but again it just can't be worth it.

This sounds like great advice. I can't imagine having to send an updated resume for dropping out of something so minuscule.

[Ozymandias]

Do not put it.

[ilovesf]

Some many of my friends have listed moot court on their LinkedIn profiles, but our competition doesn't happen until early October.

I have it listed on mine. I went through try outs ad was accepted to a specific team. As long as you indicate the dates, I don't see the problem. It's the same with journal. If you are actually accepted, they know you aren't doing your note/moot court competition over the summer.

[Anonymous User]

I would say that if your moot court team selection competition happens after some of your mailing/interviewing take place then it might be useful to put prospective participation in the competition on your resume for firms that will not know that your school's moot court selection hasn't happened yet. As someone who chose not to do a journal, it was very frustrating for me at 2L OCI to say I planned on doing moot court but that selection hadn't happened yet for those interviewers asking about why no journal/moot court. You can signal to firms that don't regularly hire from your school that you likely WILL have one of the resume lines they look for.

Of course, if you don't make the team, firms with your first resume will know you didn't make it, and you look full of fail. So I'd be careful and only put that the competition will take place and you will be part of it if a) You are very confident you'll make a team and B) moot court participation will be a significant boost to your resume in the given firm (eg, they want either journal or moot court and you didn't make a journal, or are on a secondary journal so want both on your resume).

If you're on Law Review or a strong secondary journal, it's more of a risk.

[Anonymous User]

Do it, and add "Prospective Order of the Coif Inductee" just to make sure they know you're planning on finishing top 10%.

[Anonymous User]

My CSO told me to put Moot Court Competition, Fall 2012 or Moot Court Competition, Anticipated Participant

[Ozymandias]

I'm obviously not in legal hiring so this is just a law student opinion, but something like "anticipated participant" or "prospective competitor" sounds absolutely ridiculous to me. A resume is for achievements, accomplishments, experience, etc., not for random shit you might do in the future and might not be any good at. If it's a selection process like sf's and you've already made a cut or been asked to join moot court (like an invitation to law review) that's one thing. But if your school, like mine, does nothing with moot court during 1L, I think it'd look very silly on a resume.