Policy for the Grant of Credit for Participation
in Extramural Skills Competitions
1. After the first year, a student may apply for the grant of up to 2 pass/fail credits for his or her preparation for and completion of an extramural skills competition. A student may receive this grant of credit more than once in his or her law school career. These competitions shall include, but not be limited to, extramural moot court, trial advocacy, negotiation/mediation/arbitration, and client counseling competitions.
2. A full or part time faculty member must supervise each student participating in an extramural skills competition and receive appropriate teaching recognition commensurate with the time and effort required in relation to the number of students involved and the credit hours generated.
3. Upon completion of the extramural skills competition and prior to the award of credit, the faculty supervisor will certify that the student has received substantive instruction in and practice with lawyering skills and has expended time and effort equivalent in quality to 1 or 2 credits. The educational goal of participation in an extracurricular skills competition is the promotion of some or all of the law school’s stated learning objectives of:
a. ability to understand and competently apply legal doctrine
b. ability to competently identify legal issues present in different factual scenarios
c. ability to understand and apply competent legal analysis
d. ability to understand and apply competent legal synthesis
e. ability to understand and apply competent legal problem solving techniques
f. ability to engage in competent legal research
g. ability to engage in competent oral communication
h. ability to engage in competent legal writing
i. demonstrated awareness of professional role within society, and understand and exercise sound, ethical professional judgment
4. To accomplish these educational objectives, the student will meet regularly with the faculty supervisor, who will devote the requisite time and attention to satisfy the program goals and will be sufficiently available to the student.
5. The substantive instruction described above can take place in an individual, group, or classroom setting and must provide an opportunity for student reflection on the extramural skills competition experience. The faculty member will provide evaluative feedback throughout the instruction.
6. Copies of this policy must be provided to participating students and faculty supervisors.
Adopted by Faculty Committee, April 27, 2007
Effective August 15, 2007
