Federal Circuit Holds Oral Arguments at UNC School of Law

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit filled courtrooms at the University of North Carolina School of Law on Feb. 4. Chief Judge Kimberly A. Moore, Judge Todd M. Hughes and Judge Tiffany P. Cunningham led students through a range of federal law issues, including patent disputes, property rights, and veterans’ benefits. 

“I know when I was in law school, I didn’t get to see anything like this,” Chief Judge Moore told the packed courtroom. “You’re probably accustomed to courts where you stand up and get one or two polite questions. The oral argument here is different. We’ve read all the briefs. We’re just trying to resolve whatever questions we have.”   

The formal proceedings gave way to candid exchanges as Senior Associate Dean Kelly Podger Smith moderated a Q&A with the court’s clerks.   

Drawing from 24 years of teaching patent law, Professor Andrew Chin prompted a nuanced discussion about broadening access to the field. The judges revealed that successful patent law careers aren’t exclusively for those with technical degrees. Judge Hughes noted that English majors can be crucial in translating complex technical concepts for judges and juries.  

The conversation naturally segued into a broader discussion about career development opportunities. Chief Judge Moore offered direct advice about judicial clerkships: “Don’t think about the short-term salary,” she urged. “A clerkship will put you ahead three to five years over your counterparts.”   

Anne N. Hogewood, Director of Judicial Clerkships at the School of Law, watched her students absorb these insights firsthand. “Our students saw these high-level judges and accomplished litigators in action,” Hogewood said. “Seeing how the judges relied on their clerks, often deferred to their clerks, and how clerking allows the law clerk to learn not only the law but how judges think and respond to arguments is priceless.”   

Three members of the School of Law’s class of 2024 will clerk at the Federal Circuit this fall. “I hope those students and this visit will open the door wider for UNC School of Law graduates at the Federal Circuit,” Hogewood said.   

The enthusiasm carried into lunch, where students crowded around tables with judges and clerks, turning conversations from abstract career advice into concrete plans for their legal future.