This simulation course immerses students in Second Amendment appellate litigation through a semester-long case simulation. Students will serve as appellate counsel in a fictitious constitutional challenge to a firearms regulation, performing the complete range of advocacy tasks from case assessment and legal research through brief writing and oral argument before a simulated appellate panel.
The course responds to the Supreme Court's transformative shift to a "history and tradition" test in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022) and its subsequent refinement in United States v. Rahimi (2024). Students will apply this evolving constitutional framework while
developing essential advocacy skills: legal research and writing, historical analysis, persuasive argumentation, oral advocacy, and professional collaboration. The simulation includes drafting appellate briefs, conducting peer review, participating in moot courts, and delivering formal oral arguments. Students will receive direct faculty supervision, feedback on all work product, and opportunities for self-evaluation throughout the semester. This experiential course satisfies ABA Standard 304 for simulation courses and provides practical skills training applicable to constitutional litigation, appellate practice, and policy advocacy in any substantive area.