Mentor Competition

The MENTOR Moot Court Competition is an annual appellate advocacy competition co-hosted by the Fordham Law Moot Court Board and the Justice Resource Center. The competition brings together New York City high school students to explore complex constitutional questions, develop persuasive legal arguments, and gain firsthand experience with the appellate judicial process. Each participating team is paired with a law firm or legal organization whose attorneys mentor students on developing their oral arguments. The semi-final and final rounds take place at the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse.

Through the MENTOR Competition, members of the Fordham Law Moot Court Board develop the competition problem, organize the rounds, and serve as judges and clerks. The program fosters civic engagement while introducing the next generation of advocates to the legal profession.

2025 Competition

More than thirty New York City high schools participated in the 41st Annual MENTOR Moot Court Competition. The problem considered whether a school resource officer's search of a student's cellphone violated the Fourth Amendment and whether the student's questioning implicated the protections of Miranda v. Arizona. Please see here for NPR’s coverage of the competition.