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01/2015 - News release
Students debate moot points at the UK Supreme Court
10 February 2015
Young people across the United Kingdom will be perfecting their 'm'luds' and honing their legal arguments in front of the mirror this month, as the Supreme Court invites students up to the bar to test their courtroom skills in front of the nation's top judges.
A season of 'moot finals' opens on Thursday, 12 February, when students from the University of Leicester will debate in front of Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court.
They are the first of 12 higher education institutions given the opportunity to hold the final of their mooting competition at the court before a Justice of the Supreme Court.
The mock judicial proceedings, in which two parties debate a hypothetical case, are commonly held by law schools and law societies to enable students to develop their research and advocacy skills as they practice delivering a structured legal argument.
The moots are intended to emulate a live courtroom experience with the moot problems revolving around an arguable point of law of general public importance, as with real-life Supreme Court cases. In keeping with civil courts procedure, institutions are required to submit skeleton arguments and bundles ahead of their moot, with students adhering to the standard legal deadlines.
Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court, said:
"The moot final scheme is a key part of the Court's education and outreach programme and is a valuable experience for students who are just embarking on their careers in the legal profession. The standard of argument is extremely impressive and is a great encouragement to us judges, who are nearing the end of our full-time careers, to see at first hand the calibre, enthusiasm and sheer talent of some of the next generation of lawyers."
The Supreme Court moot final scheme, which will this year run between February and May 2015, is intended for accredited higher education law programmes and student-run societies.
This year, a record number of graduate law schools and university law societies applied for the opportunity to practice their advocacy in front of a Supreme Court Justice.
When considering applications from institutions, priority is given to graduate law schools or university law societies which have not previously held a moot final at the Supreme Court, in order to open the opportunity up to as many institutions and students as possible. The Supreme Court is also particularly keen to encourage applications from institutions in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The following institutions have been selected to be held at the Supreme Court in 2015.
- University of Leicester Law Society
- University of Law - LLB Moot
- University of Exeter Law School
- Cardiff University Law School
- Canterbury Christ Church University Mooting Society
- University of Cambridge - Hughes Hall Law Society
- Birmingham City University - School of Law
- University of Leeds Law Society
- University of Bristol
- University of Strathclyde Mooting Society
- BPP Law School - Senior mooting competition
- Nottingham Law School - GDL Mooting Society
Aside from running its mooting programme, the Court undertakes a range of other education activities including hosting debate days for sixth form students, publishing online learning resources and hosting educational visits for schools, colleges and universities. Last year over 350 education groups visited the Court for a guided tour.
Applications for the 2016 mooting programme will open from September 2015 and will be announced on the Supreme Court website and Twitter feed.
Ends
UKSC contacts:
Ben Wilson - Head of Communications
020 7960 1887
Cheryl Walmsley - Communications & Outreach Manager
020 7960 1886