Volunteer to Judge

The Younger Lawyers Division of the Federal Bar Association would like to invite you to participate as a judge during the 2025 Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition being held in-person on March 26-27, 2025, in Washington D.C. Law schools from across the country send student representatives to this prestigious event. It is with the help of dedicated volunteers like you that the competition continues to be a success.

The largest number of judges are needed for the preliminary rounds of the competition to be held in the evening on Wednesday, March 26th at the H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse (500 Indiana Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001). Judges are also needed for subsequent rounds of the competition on Thursday March 27th at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (717 Madison Pl NW, Washington, DC 20439). All competition judges are invited to attend the final round & awards reception on the evening of March 27th at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (450 E St NW, Washington, DC 20442).

The full schedule is posted on the Judge Sign-up Portal. Please note that all times listed for the competition are in (ET) and subject to change.

[Sign-Up to Judge]

* Please submit for any/all time slots you are interested in.  Your participation will be either confirmed or noted as on the waitlist.

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions about volunteering as a Moot Court judge:

Do I qualify to serve as a Moot Court judge?

If you are a retired or practicing attorney or judge, you can be a Moot Court judge.

What is the role of a Moot Court judge?

A Moot Court judge scores the competitors’ oral advocacy skills.

Do I have to judge alone?

No, two other judges will serve alongside you.

What sort of advance research do I need to do?

The Moot Court problem and “bench memo,” which explain the legal issues in detail, will be sent to you before the competition. We ask that you review these documents before the competition. No additional research is needed.

Will there be any training for Moot Court judges?

Instructions will be provided, and a brief informational meeting will be held before judging to familiarize you with the rules of the competition and methods of scoring.

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

Volunteer Judges can learn more and sign up through the Judge Sign-Up Portal – Volunteer Now!

If you have additional questions, please email sections@fedbar.org.

Thank you for your consideration,

Benjamin Reese and Chris Wolcott
2025 Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition Directors