Richard K. Gilbert Policy Advocacy Competition
Hosted by DC Justice lab
March 29, 2025, John A. Wilson Building, Council of the District of Columbia
sponsored by
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About
DC Justice Lab is excited to announce the annual Richard K. Gilbert Policy Advocacy competition! This competition is for law students (in the style of mock trial and moot court) focused on legislative advocacy. It will bring together law students, local politicians, lawyers, and advocates.
Like last year, we aim to generate excitement among law students for legislative advocacy and careers in the field. The competition allows students to build their legal skills in policy, including legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, and written and oral communication. Another goal of the competition is to diversify and strengthen the talent pipeline for legislative staff and policy advocacy fields. The competition is open to students from any law school, but recruitment of participants will focus on D.C.-area and HBCU law schools.
How it works
Eight Teams will respond to the competition problem with proposed legislation and a fact sheet explaining their proposal. Then, mock legislative hearings will test teams’ oral advocacy for their bills. These hearings will take place at the John A. Wilson Building in downtown Washington, D.C.
Judges will score teams on their written work and oral advocacy, advancing through rounds tournament-style. Judges will be attorneys, lawmakers, and public policy professionals recruited by DC Justice Lab for their expertise in policy advocacy.
The competition will conclude with an awards presentation and reception. The winning team will receive a $5,000 prize.
Registration
The competition is open to law students seeking a JD from any ABA-approved law school in the United States. Teams must register to participate in the competition. We accept registrations of one team per school consisting of two students. Teams should ideally have a coach from their school, but if this is not possible, we can connect a team with a coach recruited by DC Justice Lab. Please review the rules for the Gilbert Policy Advocacy Competition before registering–each team must certify that team members understand and will abide by the rules. The registration fee is $300.
KEY dates
August 15th, 2024: Registration opens.
November 11th, 2024: Registration closes.
November 22nd, 2024: Problem released.
January 29, 2025: Written advocacy work product due.
March 29, 2025: Oral advocacy rounds and awards reception.
Get involved
DC Justice Lab recruits teams, judges, coaches, volunteers, and sponsors for the Gilbert Policy Advocacy Competition.
If you have questions or want to explore these opportunities, please contact Miya Walker, DC Justice Lab Events Producer: gilbertcup(at)dcjusticelab.org
updated 1/25