Welsh mooting champions

Aberystwyth law students Miss Laura-Pauline Adcock (Lead Counsel) and Mr Eric Lee(Junior Counsel) were judged to be the winners of the inaugural Welsh National Mooting Competition which was held at Aberystwyth University on Wednesday 25 March.

Laura and Eric secured their place in the final with a victory over the University of Glamorgan Law School in the semi final, before going on to defeat Swansea University Law School in the final. The final itself was presided over by the Counsel General and Leader of the House, and Minister for Assembly Business and Communications at the National Assembly of Wales, Mr Carwyn Jones AM.

Teams from Cardiff Law School, the University of Glamorgan's Law School, Swansea University Law School, and the Department of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University put their advocacy skills to the test in the one day competition which was sponsored by the legal publisher and information provider LexisNexis.

Moots, where two pairs of ‘advocates' argue a fictitious legal case in front of a ‘judge’, have been part of legal education for centuries. In the 15th Century the Inns of Court would use mooting as a means of teaching young barristers the rigours of advocacy. Success, however, does not necessarily result from winning the legal case, but rather from the quality of the presentation of the legal arguments.

The Welsh National Mooting Competition formed part of Aberystwyth University’s Advocacy Week which was developed by the Aberystwyth Mooting Society. Final year Law student Christopher McFarland, Chair of the Aberystwyth Mooting Society said; “This is the first time that a national inter-varsity mooting competition has been held in Wales.

“Not only is this unique event an excellent opportunity to foster links between Welsh universities and the legal profession in Wales, but it is also a valuable opportunity for students to moot competitively – in this way it provides yet another reason for prospective students to study and practice law in Wales.”

Caralyn Duignan from sponsors LexisNexis said;
“The organisation and running of the day was extremely competent and the whole event was very enjoyable. The judges were of the highest quality and I think that we all learnt something from them. Mr Carwyn Jones was outsanding as the judge in the final and I hope we can get him again next year.”

The knockout rounds were presided over by Mr Robert Hanratty of Hanratty & Co Solicitors, Newtown, Powys and Mr Andrew Perkins, Barrister at Law and Lecturer at Swansea University.

Mr Perkins said: “It was a pleasure to assist in what was a great day, it was good to see such a high standard of advocacy in Wales, and long may it continue.”

On Friday 27 March Lead Counsel Mr Rhonson Salim and Junior Counsel Mr Scott Preece represented Aberystwyth in the latest round of the 2009 Oxford University Press & BPP National Mooting Competition, following impressive victories against Birmingham City University and the University of Westminster. Unfortunately it was the visiting team from Nottingham who progressed to the semi-finals on this occasion.