California Appellate Advocacy Program – Center for Litigation and Courts

The California Appellate Advocacy Program (CAAP) offers attorneys slated to present oral arguments the opportunity to moot their cases before a panel of mock judges drawn from expert appellate lawyers and the legal academy. CAAP is directed by Senior Appellate Practice Fellow Leah Spero, who has more than a decade of experience litigating before appellate courts in California and around the nation. See this press release for launch information. And see this FAQ page for answers to frequently asked questions.

Since 2022, CAAP has mooted more than 25 arguments before the California Supreme Court, one argument before the U.S. Supreme Court, and two arguments before other state and federal courts.

Testimonials

“I took advantage of the CAAP moot program for my first Supreme Court argument. The panel chose was excellent – very knowledgeable on the subject matter and extremely well prepared both on the substance and in asking challenging questions. In addition, after the moot argument, the discussion with the panelists provided me with helpful tips on what to expect at oral argument. I highly recommend the CAAP program.”

– Thomas Kelch, Of Counsel at Renne Public Law Group in San Francisco, CA

“My participation in the moot court program was incredibly helpful. My argument ended up being quite challenging, but the moot court really prepared me to handle the justices’ tough questions. I appreciated the diverse backgrounds of the justices who sat in for the moot court, as that gave me varying perspectives about the case. I would highly recommend the program to anyone preparing for a Supreme Court argument.”

– Judith Posner, Partner at Benedon & Serlin in Woodland Hills, CA

“I have argued many times before the California Supreme Court, and I have participated in many different kinds of moot courts. As an experienced appellate lawyer, I wholeheartedly endorse this moot-court program. The judges were well prepared, posed many challenging questions, and thoroughly equipped me for the actual oral argument. Do not miss this valuable opportunity – especially if you are facing your first California Supreme Court argument.”

– Margaret Grignon, Partner at Grignon Law Firm in Long Beach, CA

“I encourage any attorney arguing in the California Supreme Court to participate in this program. The moot court judges zeroed in on the most challenging aspects of my position and posed questions that prompted me to think about the case in new ways. I came away much better prepared for the real argument.”

– Christopher Hu, Associate at Horvitz & Levy LLP in San Francisco, CA

“The moot court was absolutely invaluable in helping me prepare for argument. One of the questions from the justices duplicated, almost word-for-word, one of the questions posed during the moot. The moot court experience helped jumpstart my thought processes and helped me switch from preparation mode to argument mode.”

– Daniel Barer, Partner at Pollak, Vida & Barer in Los Angeles, CA

“I was lucky to be mooted for a California Supreme Court argument organized by the California Appellate Advocacy Program. I’ve argued in state and federal appellate courts across the country, including previously in the California Supreme Court, but there’s nothing better than having experienced California appellate practitioners who—like the justices—don’t know you, are fresh to the case, and will put you through the ringer! I found my moot court justices to be consummate appellate practitioners, prepared and probing, asking the combination of predictable and unpredictable questions that help arguing counsel hone their points before stepping into the courtroom. I was also appreciative, as someone from out of state, with CAAP’s willingness to arrange a virtual moot court while juggling time-change scheduling difficulties.”

– Jonathan Freiman, Chair of the Appellate Practice Group at Wiggin and Dana in New Haven, CT

“The program was extremely helpful in getting me ready to argue to the California Supreme Court. The judges had done their homework. They were well prepared and asked tough questions that really tested my knowledge of the case. After the moot court, I had to go back to my materials and fill in some gaps. At the real argument, I felt I could handle anything.”

– Myron Moskovitz, Legal Director at Moskovitz Appellate Team in the Bay Area, CA

“The program is extraordinary. The obviously intense preparation by the moot court justices made for a lively and extremely useful practice session that prepared me for what was coming in the Supreme Court. They raised questions that I had previously not thought about and rigorously tested my positions on matters I had contemplated. This was my sixth appearance before the California Supreme Court, and the session was invaluable, making me the most prepared I had ever been for an argument.”

– Dennis F. Moss, Of Counsel at Moss Bollinger in Sherman Oaks, CA

“This was an invaluable moot court opportunity – it helped me tremendously. Many of the issues raised during the moot court were raised at the argument, and I would not have been as prepared to confidently respond to them had it not been for the moot court experience. The Court ultimately issued a unanimous decision in my favor.”

– Cody Lee Saal, Associate at Edrington, Schirmer & Murphy in Pleasant Hill, CA