Portnoy,+R.A.

As a Policy judge,I am old-fashioned. I was a Policy debater, but it was back in the day when delivery mattered. I have coached PF, emphasizing persuasion, so if you are monotone and never bother with eye contact, your speaker points will likely suffer accordingly.

As a coach, I prioritize proof. Therefore, I value evidence over unsubstantiated opinion or theory. But be sure that (i) your evidence is from a quality source, (ii) your evidence actually says what you claim it does, and (iii) you are not omitting conditions, limitations, or contrary conclusions within your evidence.

I try to flow carefully. Please cross-refer to the case/disadvantages and be organized for me to keep track. Most importantly, I value clash rather than distracters.

I don’t weigh all arguments equally. You can spread if you want, but the decision will go to the team that carries the majority of the most-substantive issues.

I appreciate policy arguments, especially if they relate to law (e.g., the Constitution), economics, international trade (e.g., the WTO), international relations (e.g., the UN or international law), or government policy. I am an international business attorney and former law school professor, with a background in Economics and experience working on Capitol Hill.

I am not a big fan of Ks. If they relate to the topic, okay, but if they are primarily distractive, I may disregard them.

Pet peeves include: not standing during speeches, answering for your partner during C-X of him/her, claiming that you proved something without reading evidence, claiming evidence says something it doesn’t, rudeness, speaking faster than you can organize thoughts, failing to clash, forgetting that debate is ultimately about persuasion, etc.

I try to do my best, but I make mistakes. Knock on wood, I’ve never been on the minority side in a split decision. Coaches (and students), please do not try to intimidate me. I have negotiated M&A deals in the multi-hundreds of millions of dollars against hyper-aggressive New York attorneys, and bullying is counterproductive with me. On the other hand, eye contact and a well-organized, well-documented case are much appreciated.