Board of Advocates

Board of Advocates consists of the Alternative Dispute Resolution, Appellate, and Mock Trial teams of U.C. Berkeley School of Law. BOA has won competition awards at multiple levels and consistently outperforms other top-ten law schools. The Board of Advocate’s general membership includes over 90 students who participate in both regional and national competitions in four main areas: Alternative Dispute Resolution, Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Technology & Intellectual Property. Competition for a place on these teams is fierce during the Board’s yearly try-out process, with multiple students vying for each spot. Teams receive coaching from professors, Executive Board Members, alumni, and fellow students. The Board also places a strong emphasis on training fellow students and future members through internal competitions, offering scholarship money and the opportunity to be heard by federal judges in mock argument. The Board of Advocates provides further opportunities for students to hone their advocacy skills, hosting multiple skills workshops throughout the year. The Board recognizes the importance of diversity in the legal profession. The Board acknowledges the systemic exclusion of marginalized groups, especially people of color, from legal advocacy spaces and from the legal community at large. Each of the Board's branches will maintain inclusive policies for recruitment and admission that increase diversity within the teams and the broader legal advocacy community. All Board members commit to valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, and opinions in all areas of their work. The Board and its branches commit to leveraging their power to dismantle systems of oppression in all forms and make legal advocacy inclusive for everyone.