In 2024, a group of students at the University of Washington saw an opportunity to fill a need by creating a moot court program for undergraduate students.
The Husky Moot Court (HMC) today has about a dozen members and two coaches from the UW School of Law. They are a member of the American Moot Court Association (AMCA) and, as of this writing, were fundraising to send a team to the upcoming AMCA competition in California. Two founding members of the new moot court, Faduma Abdi and Nikita Nikishin, recently sat down with NWSidebar to share a bit about themselves, their mission, and their goals for the future.
Why did you decide to start Moot Court? What need did it fulfill that was previously unmet?
Faduma: I decided to start Husky Moot Court (HMC) at the University of Washington after my law professor introduced me to the concept of appellate courts and gave me the chance to meet the UW Law School Moot Court Team. We originally wanted to create something like a mock trial team, but because UW only allows one official team of that kind, we decided to focus on Moot Court. We noticed that while colleges nationwide compete in the American Moot Court Association (AMCA) national tournament, Washington state has no moot court program at the undergraduate level. We are proud that our program is the first of its kind in this state.
What types of students are involved? Is everyone interested in going to law school and pursuing a legal career?
Faduma: The majority of our students are those who plan to go to law school and want to find a like-minded community at UW. Others join because they love debate and want to build their public speaking and critical thinking skills. Our members come from a variety of departments—political science, business, economics, and even STEM majors. At our core, we’re a curious, driven group of students who want to challenge ourselves and grow as future advocates. Some of us will go on to law school, while others will use the skills we’ve gained here to make a difference in the world in their own way.
Nikita: What always strikes me is the variety of different people, with different majors and different skillsets, who are considering law school. From math majors to music majors, many of my peers in Husky Moot Court, as well as my peers at similar programs at other universities, are considering law school.
How is this different from the UW mock trial or other seemingly similar programs?
Nikita: Mock trial offers a fundamentally different experience from moot court. While mock trial is an effective way to showcase civil and criminal procedure and lets students simulate the work of trial attorneys, it does not offer opportunities to develop legal writing, and it does not engage with the nature of the law as moot court can. Moot court focuses on appellate procedure, brief writing, and constitutional law. It tackles complex constitutional questions that go beyond evidence and testimony. It is grounded in precedent and requires wider research and understanding as students tackle the Constitution itself, and decades of opinion, dissent, plurality, and interpretation. Both are unique and valuable for students considering a career as an attorney, as both develop skills that are essential to success in the legal profession. I find that I prefer moot court, as I am fond of its unique blend of research, writing, and sparring.
What do participating students get out of this? How do you think this will/could influence the future of the legal profession and those entering it?
Faduma: Participating students gain confidence in their speaking skills, learn how to break down complex legal issues, and practice crafting persuasive arguments while defending them under high-pressure questioning. These are skills that are valuable not only for law school and interviews, but also for any leadership role in the future. I believe this program will shape the next generation of legal professionals by giving students from all backgrounds a head start. It is a supportive, collective space where undergraduates can build the skills they’ll need to succeed in law school and become strong oral advocates.
What has been the best part of establishing this moot court and participating in it? What are some of the challenges?
Faduma: Honestly, it’s been a roller coaster, but the best part has been building a community and finding friendships with people who share the same passion for law and advocacy. It’s been so rewarding to see our organization grow and carve out a space on the UW campus for any student interested in law. One of my favorite moments was hosting our Law Student Panel, where prospective students showed up in record numbers to ask questions of all kinds to our panel of law students—it really showed the impact we’re making. The biggest challenge has been building the organization from scratch—figuring out how to get recognized as an RSO, recruiting members, and finding the right resources without an existing blueprint. These challenges have pushed us to be creative and resilient, and they’ve ultimately made our team stronger.
Faduma Abdi. Faduma is the founder and president of Husky Moot Court at the University of Washington in Seattle. She is a political science and English major and a proud first-generation college student. Faduma started the team to create a welcoming space where students can explore law, strengthen their public speaking, and build confidence. She hopes to use her voice and ideas to uplift her peers and community, with ambitions of attending law school and pursuing a career as a lawyer after earning her bachelor’s degree.
Nikita Nikishin. Nikitia is the founding vice president of Husky Moot Court. He joined the team to help open doors for students interested in debate and constitutional law. He is currently studying political science, psychology, and economics, and hopes to pursue a career in international law and arbitration.
