Training Great Advocates to Change the World
Our nationally recognized Advocacy Program at Texas Law teaches students critical advocacy skills, empowering them to achieve fulfilling career paths. Advocacy students hone their trial and appellate advocacy skills in our teaching courtrooms under the supervision of amazing faculty and coaches. Our students use their skills not only in competitions, classes, and clinics, but in any career in the law they pursue.
Winning in Advocacy
The University of Texas School of Law is a winner of the American College of Trial Lawyers’ Emil Gumpert Award. Texas Law teams have won numerous mock trial and moot court competitions, including recent national victories at the 2023 Georgetown White Collar Criminal Competition and the 2024 Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, and regional championships at the 2024 TYLA National Trial Competition and the 2023 Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court.
Our students travel together across the country and the world to sharpen their trial and appellate advocacy chops against the very best teams. From New York to New Orleans, from Louisiana to Los Angeles, and from Virginia to Vienna (yes, Austria), our students learn, compete, network, and celebrate their successes together.
Competition wins are wonderful (and we are very proud when the University of Texas Tower is lit to celebrate ours), but they also provide an opportunity to create lasting friendships and have fun along the way. Our students come home with the skills to be day-one ready in their careers and to stand out to hiring attorneys and recruiters.
From Classes to Courtroom to Careers
While we know that not every student will choose a career in the courtroom, advocacy skills are immensely valuable for all kinds of lawyers, and we’ve got the graduates to prove it.
Our recent alumni have found fulfilling jobs everywhere:
- Prestigious judicial clerkships
- Public interest law
- Boutique plaintiffs’ firms
- Biglaw firms
- Offices of District, County, and U.S. Attorneys
- Financial agencies and large corporations
Advocacy Program graduates have meaningful opportunities to pursue the career of their choice thanks to Texas Law keeping its cost low compared to other top-tier schools and the Advocacy Program’s own annual scholarship awards.
How to Get Involved
Our courses and interscholastic competitions are open to second and third-year students at Texas Law, but even first-year students have opportunities to participate if they choose. Each February, we offer 1Ls a free Public Speaking Workshop. First-year students can join our student organization the Board of Advocates, can serve as a witness or other volunteer for one of our interscholastic teams, and can compete in several intramural moot court and mock trial competitions here at Texas Law.
Producing the Best Advocates in a Fun Environment
Texas Law produces unrivaled advocates in an energetic, collaborative setting. Our students work with practicing lawyers and judges who serve as instructors, mentors, coaches, and mock or moot judges; and who regularly attend Advocacy Program events to meet with students.
The goal of the University of Texas School of Law Advocacy Program is to produce the best advocates in the state and the nation. Whether you’re taking our innovative academic courses, traveling to competitive tournaments, or working with the Board of Advocates, our Advocacy Program will enable you to choose your path and succeed.
Texas Law Advocacy in the News
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Jaron Petreas and Hixon Frank took the top prize at the transactional tournament hosted by Fordham University.
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For this edition of Texas Law’s Student Spotlight series, meet 2L Morgan Bates!
Find more news about the Advocacy Program on Texas Law’s News site.