Internal Competitions

The Mock Trial Board hosts two internal competitions every year—one during each semester. The competitions are headed up by an appointed group of Competition Chairs and overseen by the President and Vice President of Internal Competitions. The competitions are entirely student run, and also serve as the only avenue for students to achieve Board membership. If you have questions about internal competitions or board membership, please contact us.

Hollingsworthʟʟᴘ First-Year Mock Trial Competition

The GW Law Mock Trial Board is pleased to announce a new partnership with one of the nation’s leading litigation firms— Hollingsworth_LLP. Hollingsworth_LLP has generously agreed to sponsor our internal competition for 1L students for the next five years.

The new competition, the Hollingsworth_LLP First-Year Mock Trial Competition, will be hosted for the first time in the Spring 2024 semester. The first day of the competition will be hosted at a local court house, and the second day at GW Law. Semi-finalists will be paired with Hollingsworth_LLP attorneys as coaches for one week, and will compete for the Championship at the courtroom in Hollingsworth_LLP’s office in Washington, D.C.—with Hollingsworth_LLP attorneys serving as judges.

1L students compete as a team of four students in the Hollingsworth_LLP First-Year Mock Trial Competition Competition. A full case packet is given to all competitors and the teams of four are instructed to prepare both sides of the case. Two students will be attorneys and two will be witnesses, alternating for each side. Each team is assigned an individual coach that will prepare the competitors develop a case theory, instruct them on the logistics of a mock trial competition, and set up scrimmages with other teams. Student coaches are Board members who have usually taken classes in evidence and trial advocacy, or competed in external trial competitions. Tip sessions and office hours are also held to give competitors extra help along the way.

The Mock Trial Board is thrilled to be partnering with Hollingsworth_LLP and looks forward to a successful competition in Spring 2024.

Cohen & Cohen

Cohen & Cohen is open to all GW students who are not first-year students. Cohen & Cohen is also the avenue for transfer students interested in joining the Board achieve membership, however, current board members may also participate. Unlike the Hollingsworth_LLP First-Year Mock Trial Competition, those students who compete in Cohen & Cohen receive one academic credit for their participation, regardless of whether they advance further in the competition or make the Board.