Recently, I had the pleasure of judging moot court competitions at the University of Chicago Law School (my alma mater) and the DePaul College of Law.
At UChicago Law, six groups of two competitors grappled with Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety, et al., currently pending before the United States Supreme Court. Landor addresses whether an individual may sue a government official in his individual capacity for damages for violations of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
The students at DePaul College of Law were confronted with a custom hypothetical case involving a zoning discrimination claim under the Fair Housing Act and the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988.
Across both competitions, many of the students I judged demonstrated impressive skill, even surpassing that of attorneys who have practiced for years. Some had memorized the entirety of the record, as well as the facts and details of all related case law. As a result, they were able to deftly respond to questions requiring them to recall and grapple with obscure parts of the relevant legal history, while not losing their place and still arguing the central points of their positions.
This experience was incredibly fulfilling and provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my journey as an attorney. I consider myself and our profession fortunate to have such bright minds joining our ranks soon.