Mai-Lee Picard is a 3L from New York, New York, though she has been competing from her apartment in Brooklyn.
She has represented the Government throughout the competition.
We asked Mai-Lee a few questions about her experience competing in the Stone Moot Court Competition this year. Here are her responses:
Stone Director: What other moot court experiences have you had and how has that/have those prepared you for this competition? What is different (either about the competition or about yourself)?
Picard: I participated in the Frederick Douglass Moot Court as a 1L and was a coach as a 2L. Without a doubt that experience taught me everything I know today when it comes to oral advocacy. Fred Doug taught me how to prepare for oral arguments, how to write a roadmap (including the weird font I use to this day), and probably most importantly, the value of collaboration when working through a problem. I definitely wouldn't be in the semifinal without Fred Doug and all the friends I've made through it and I'm really grateful for the friends who mooted with me and learned the problem even though they didn't compete in Stone. While this was a different experience because I didn't have a team to talk to about the ins and outs of the issues, I've valued my partners' input on my arguments and know they've helped me think about these issues in a more nuanced way.
Stone Director: Why did you choose to participate in the Stone Moot Court Competition?
Picard: I almost didn't want to participate in the competition, but my Fred Doug partner from 1L really encouraged me and I'm so grateful for that. I love oral arguments and the rush you get when judges start asking you questions and I knew that I probably wouldn't get that experience again as a practicing attorney for a while after I graduate in April. I thought it was important to take advantage of this opportunity and I knew I would have regretted not participating. I'm glad to say I enjoyed working through the problem and while Zoom Arguments were tough it was great to have a larger panel of judges than we would have had in person.
Stone Director: What was the first thing you did after your last oral argument during the Qualifying Round?
Picard: I FaceTime'd one of my best friends and then immediately went to sleep!
Want to know more about Mai-Lee?
Check out her LinkedIn!
Congratulations, Mai-Lee, and good luck in the Semifinal Round!
