Dozens of first-year law students at Texas A&M School of Law in Fort Worth were required to attend three oral arguments for the Fifteenth Court of Appeals Thursday afternoon.
Chief Justice Scott Brister said that it was record attendance for the court, with about a hundred students there at the start, though many students left by the third argument.
The statewide appellate court opened just over a year ago, and since it doesn’t have a designated courtroom, it has taken to traveling across the state to hear arguments wherever space is offered.
Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend partner Gabrielle Smith, who argued on behalf of Liberty Mineral Partners Thursday, said she had argued before the court at the University of Texas in Austin previously.
“It is a really cool experience,” Smith said. “I like being at the law school.”
Hunton Andrews Kurth partner Ryan Clinton, who was present to argue on behalf of ES3 Minerals, said it was his first time arguing before law school students.
“It was a lot of fun. It seemed like they understood the case and were paying attention,” Clinton said, referencing questions asked by the students during a post-arguments Q&A session that lasted about an hour.
First-year student Lauren Peck said they have been talking about some of the terms used in the first case, which involves a challenge to Texas’ franchise tax brought by American Airlines, in their legislative regulation class.
“It was cool to kind of relate to class,” Peck said.
During the Q&A, the first few questions were about the cases the students saw and how much weight the justices give to certain things, like public interest. The justices clarified that they couldn’t talk about the cases specifically but could answer more general questions.
One student asked how many cases the justices hear and how they keep them all separate.
Justice April Farris said that they hear arguments once a month and that they typically set about four cases. The Fifteenth Court of Appeals granted 27 cases for oral argument in its first year.
“That’s very high for a court of appeals of our size,” Farris said, noting that the court makes granting oral arguments a priority.
Another student asked how oral arguments factor into the overall process of adjudicating cases.
Justice Scott Field said that the advocacy part factors in very little. He said the briefs stand out more.
“I would give you just an advocacy tip: Always remember when your case is set for oral argument, it is not about your presentation,” Field said.
He added that often lawyers come in with their script and are disturbed when the justices interrupt with questions.
“Really, oral argument is a conversation where you’re hearing for the first time what is troubling us and what we have questions about, and you’re answering those questions,” Field said.
He added that the best advocate doesn’t always win. Farris said she always tells people that their job is to help the court.
“The court is going to ask you tough questions, and those are a gift to you. That is an opportunity to put the court’s mind at ease. Don’t run away from them,” Farris said.
Brister told the students they saw excellent lawyers with good reputations give oral arguments Thursday.
“We’re familiar with almost all the lawyers who argue[d] today. We’ve seen them before. They’ve got good reputations. That’s why they’re here. And they can talk remarkably fast, cover a lot of ground,” Brister said.