Life at Duke Law

The Hardt Cup Tournament is an opportunity for students to practice oral advocacy and a chance for the finest advocates to earn an invitation to join the Moot Court Board. The tournament begins with the oral advocacy component of the first-year Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing (LARW) curriculum, which is coordinated by the Moot Court Board.

History of the Hardt Cup

In the fall of 1962, the Duke Law community was shocked and saddened by the death of A. Lee Hardt, a student who had just completed his first year. Students in the class of 1964 chose to honor his memory by dedicating a cup in his name to be presented to the winner of the annual first year Moot Court competition. Each year, in the weeks following Spring Break, the Moot Court Board conducts the annual Hardt Cup competition for first-year students.

Appellate advocacy is an important aspect of the Duke Law curriculum for first-year students. The ability to organize oral presentations logically and persuasively, as well as the skill of responding to others' concerns and criticisms by thinking on one's feet, are invaluable to law students and law school graduates alike. Competing in the Hardt Cup is a prime opportunity for students to build skills that will help them not only in future law school courses, but also in the job market and in whatever careers they choose.