The Tendler Center for Inclusive Advocacy was founded via a gift from Richard “Ricky” Tendler ’97 (JD), who was a well-regarded criminal defense attorney in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Center’s mission is to broaden WNE’s existing moot court, mock trial, and dispute resolution competition programming to be more inclusive of our students’ diversity of strengths in advocacy and to increase the visibility of WNE Law’s advocacy program regionally and nationally. The Center currently coordinates the WNE advocacy teams, supports existing student groups that focus on the needs and interests of students who are interested in advocacy, and is a sponsor of the annual advocacy banquet.
American law students have participated in advocacy competitions for over 200 years. These competitions allow students to develop crucial legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills; gain confidence; and network with other law students and practicing attorneys. WNE Law currently has six advocacy teams.
Moot court competitions simulate appellate practice. At the appellate level, attorneys argue about whether a trial court correctly decided a case. There is no opportunity to examine witnesses or introduce new evidence. Instead, appellate attorneys rely on the record that was created at the trial court level and make legal arguments for why the trial court’s decision was right or wrong. Moot Court competitions have two components: the written competition, where students write legal briefs that explain their arguments; and the oral competition, where students argue their case before a panel of judges.
WNE has four moot court teams. The National Moot Court team argues mock US Supreme Court case involving cutting edge issues of federal law; past problems have ranged from criminal search and seizure issues to civil securities law issues. The ABA National Appellate Advocacy team focuses on timely issues of federal law. For example, is solitary confinement cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment? The Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court team argues about federal legal issues, often with a focus on civil rights law; a recent problem involved the extent of police officer’s qualified immunity when they are accused of violating a citizen’s civil rights. The Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court team works on fictional disputes between countries before the International Court of Justice.
In mock trial, students participate in a simulated trial, including making open and closing arguments, examining witnesses, and making and responding to evidentiary objections. WNE’s Mock Trial team participates in the American Association for Justice’s Student Trial Advocacy Competition. In the 2026 competition, students will try a wrongful death suit filed after a restaurant patron fell over an exposed sprinkler and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Less than half of lawyers in the United States are litigators. That means that many WNE Law students won’t be spending much time in courtrooms after they graduate. For those students, WNE Law also has a Tax Challenge team that allows students to hone their transactional skills. The Tax Challenge asks two-person teams to solve a complex business problem that might arise in everyday tax practice and then verbally report the results of their work to a partner. Students who participate in Tax Challenge do so as part of an Advanced Taxation course at the law school.
A prominent West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney, animal rights activist, legal commentator, and philanthropist, Ricky was practicing law in Massachusetts early on in his career when a mentor encouraged him to apply for a job as an assistant district attorney in Florida. Following his mentor’s advice, Ricky worked in the West Palm Beach Public Defender’s Office for about five years before entering private practice as a criminal defense attorney.
During his career, he represented a wide variety of clients facing charges that ranged from tragic to bizarre, and he was known for his prowess as a defense attorney, representing individuals and corporations that had been charged with a variety of complex white-collar crimes, including several cases that were brought by the U.S. Government. A colorful and caring attorney who befriended many, he was appointed to serve on the Florida Bar Grievance Committee for a three-year term and served as chair of the committee from 2011-12. He also served as a director of the Palm Beach Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Moot Court, Mock Trial, and Tax Challenge team members are selected through an application and tryout process. Information on the application process is generally released in late March or early April. The Litigation, Mediation, Negotiation, and Arbitration Association holds an information session each spring where law students can meet current team members and learn about the various competitions.
Undergraduate students can get involved with mock trial and moot court by volunteering to assist at practices and tryouts. Please contact Prof. Jessica Mahon Scoles for more information.
Alumni play a vital role in the success of our advocacy teams. Alums are needed to serve as judges at team practices in both the spring and fall semester. There are also frequent opportunities for alums to serve as judges at the regional competitions, either as a brief scorer or as part of the oral argument judge panel. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Prof. Jessica Mahon Scoles.
Jessica Mahon Scoles
Director, Tendler Center for Inclusive Advocacy
413-782-1439
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