Mooting and Debating

What is mooting?

Mooting presents an opportunity to develop legal practice skills and take part in networking opportunities with legal professionals.

It comprises two pairs of student advocates, who take on the role of barristers. They each argue a fictitious legal appeal case in front of a judge, normally a lecturer, practicing lawyer or judge from the Midland circuit. All of our internal and external 'home' competitions take place in our two replica courtrooms.

Why moot?

Ellis Isherwood

Mooting Society member

Being a member of the Mooting Society has helped Ellis Isherwood to win a full Lord Denning Scholarship worth £15,500 from The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn by putting into practice the key qualities sought after by the judges - intellectual strength, complete integrity, excellence at university and commitment at the Bar.

Whether you have ambitions to become a solicitor or barrister or you want to pursue a career outside the legal profession, excellent advocacy skills are crucial.

As a legal professional, you will find yourself in negotiations every day, communicating with clients, consulting with other solicitors or in court. Mooting will expose you to these essential skills while you study.

All students in the School of Law are invited to join the Mooting Society, which is directed by Sarah Cooper, an academic and barrister in the School of Law.

Evidence shows that taking part in mooting will improve the chances of attaining a good degree. It also presents the ideal opportunity to develop key legal practice skills and contacts with legal professionals.

This is because:

• Your academic skills are improved by the level of preparation and research needed to engage in such detailed legal analysis.
• There are opportunities to network with lawyers in moots, in visits to the Inns of Courts or to marshal (shadow) a judge if selected.
• Mooters learn the ability to handle pressure and multi-task, control their nerves and develop time-management skills.
• Mooters become more articulate, self-sufficient and therefore more self-confident.