Law Students Take Part in Mooting Competition
On Thursday 4th November 2021, Law students from Huddersfield Business School took part in an internal Mooting competition. The competition took place in The Law School’s mock courtroom which is located in the Universities Oaslter Building. Mooting is a competition exclusively for Law students, in which they take part in a fictitious court case, in front of a real judge. Law students are given a scenario to prepare research for and are then required to present their arguments to the court and judge who decides on a winner.
Dr Paul Abba, a Senior Lecturer in Law at Huddersfield Business School, is the Director of Mooting who oversees the event for students. District Judge Karen Woodhead from Huddersfield County Court very kindly supported the students in the experience as the legal professional, to give law students an insight of what it’s like to present in this environment.
The Mooting competition is an extremely valuable part of Law students’ progression, as it simulates a real courtroom, thus preparing and giving students confidence in this field for when they graduate. Therefore, it is highly beneficial for Law students to take part, especially considering that legal professional’s value the Mooting competition as a vital piece of experience required to work as a barrister in the future.
Paul Abba, Director of Mooting
Huddersfield Business School
“It is important because it builds their advocacy skills. Mooting is specifically directed at law students, to be able to present arguments in front of a judge. It also helps their legal research skills because before they appear in court, they must prepare, carry out research and draft their argument.”
Students who participated in the Mooting competition had to stand in a court setting in front of their peers and District Judge Karen Woodhead. “It was daunting and really intimidating. But as soon as we started talking it was like no one else existed, it was just a conversation with the judge. It was the build up to the event that was very stressful.” - Law Student & Mooting Participant. However, despite the student participants being extremely nervous about the event, they have taken away some valuable skills that will assist their legal career in the future.
As a collective, the students identified that they gained skills such as confidence, from speaking to District Judge Karen Woodhead, but also a whole range of Law specific abilities from the experience. “We’ve improved our advocacy skills, legal research skills and how to speak in court. We’ve also learned in-court skills that you wouldn’t learn from a textbook or teacher such as addressing the judge and how to behave and present yourself.” - Law Student & Mooting Participant.
The students recognised the importance of this experience, in particular the opportunity to deliver the knowledge they’d learnt in front of a judge with such a high level of legal experience. “The confidence of being able to face the judge who challenged us with questions has given us invaluable experience.” - Law Student & Mooting Participant.
The students who participated in Mooting agreed that the experience will help them excel in their studies and contribute to their future career in Law, and therefore is extremely beneficial for Law students to take part in the event.
Law students attending Mooting competition in the courtroom