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Moot court judges as pro bono and promoters of law department practice

I graduated from Columbia Law School in 1978 and each year the school invites me to serve as a judge for the first-year moot court program. Twice I have done so and I plan to don the powdered wig this year.

Every time an in-house lawyer contributes time to a moot court program, that lawyer has offered a public service, a pro bono contribution. Moreover, to some degree that lawyer has also helped law school students realize that there are career choices other than in private practice. The more law graduates consider an in-house career and the more in-house departments secure their share of excellent graduates, the easier it is to manage the legal function.