Advocacy
Witness Examination
The Witness Examination Competition challenges your wit and style as Sydney's leading barristers! Stimulating a criminal or civil trial, this competition requires students to prepare and present an opening statement, examination-in-chief, cross-examination and a closing statement. Best of all, students in any year may compete.
Students are provided with witness statements and the relevant law for their trials 90 minutes prior to the competition round. Competitors are then required to construct their case and brief their witnesses as to what they should expect. This competition is run in semester 2 so keep an eye out for registration!
Please email compsadvocacy1@muls.org if you have any queries.
Mooting
A moot is a simulated appeal, that means an oral argument (supported by a written summary) about the application of legal principles to a set of agreed facts. You receive a factual scenario and grounds of appeal. Once you have the scenario, you research the applicable law and then write your legal argument. Finally, you argue it out in court. Teams will generally have 1-2 weeks to prepare their written submissions, which are distributed to the opposing team and the judge a few days before the oral round. During the oral rounds teams will take turns presenting their oral argument before a judge, each team will have 30 minutes each.
Taking part in a mooting competition will involve work. It is best to treat it like another set of assessments. The questions will always involve a substantial degree of legal uncertainty – that’s what makes them interesting to argue about. However, you will be guided by the grounds of appeal, and the time limits imposed on speakers will give you a good idea of how much depth you’re expected to have.
MULS Offers several subject based moots including:
Criminal Law Moot - Semester 1
Contract Law Moot - Semester 2
International Humanitarian Law Moot - Semester 1
Private Law Moot - Semester 1
Diversity and Pride Moot Competition - Semester 2
The Preliminary Rounds of these competitions will be taking place over Zoom and Final Rounds will be conducted in-person on a weeknight at Macquarie University North Ryde Campus.
Please email Simone at competitions@muls.org if you have any questions.
Foundations of Law Moot – Semester 2
The Foundations of Law Moot is a perfect way to familiarise yourself with mooting after completing the first unit of your law degree. It is also a great opportunity to make friends with other members of your cohort, and to develop advocacy skills for mooting and legal practice.
Please email Emma at foundationcomps@muls.org if you have any queries.
Novice Moot – Semester 2
The Novice Moot is specifically designed for students in at least second year who did not participate in the Foundations of Law Moot, but would like to gain experience mooting in a competition with others who have not mooted before. It is also a great opportunity to build relationships with students who are in various years of their degree.
Please email novicecomp@muls.org if you have any queries.
Championship Moot
The Championship Moot is aimed at students who have demonstrated success in mooting and are looking for a challenging mooting competition to participate in. Questions can relate to any of the following areas of law:
Contract Law
Criminal Law
Tort Law
Commonwealth Constitutional Law
Property/Land Law
Administrative Law
Commercial Law
Corporations Law
Equity and Trusts Law
Trade Practices Law
Please email compsadvocacy1@muls.org if you have any queries.
During semester 2, we hold moots specifically designed for beginners: