Schools compete in national moot at Bond Law School

Students from 14 schools from around Australia argued their cases before some of Australia’s most respected legal figures recently, after making the grand finale of a prestigious national mooting competition.

The Honourable Justice Robert Gotterson AO of the Supreme Court of Queensland, retired District Court of Queensland Judge John Newton and Bond Law School’s Assistant Professor Louise Parsons, were among the judging panel for the Bond University High School Mooting Competition finals, held on the Gold Coast on Aug. 1, 2015.
The competition is the only one of its kind in Australia, with more than 120 schools from across the country entering their best and brightest Year 11 and 12 students.
The mooting competition introduces students to the courtroom environment and gives them insight into the workings of the Australian legal system, with two opposing teams conducting a legal argument involving the application of legal rules to factual situations similar to those dealt with by the courts every day.
Each member of the team who wins the national final, along with the three students judged to be the best individual advocates, will be offered a 40 per cent scholarship to undertake a Bachelor of Laws degree at Bond University, Australia’s leading private university.
Assistant Professor Louise Parsons said the competition continued to be popular among high school students, with a number of schools entering for the first time in 2015.
“The judges were very impressed by the high standard of advocacy skills displayed by the competitors,” she said.
“The competition challenges students to ‘think like a lawyer.’ The critical thinking and analytical skills students develop will stand them in good stead whenever they are faced with any complex problem, and provides an excellent opportunity to improve their oral communication and oral advocacy skills.
“Developing the ability to think quickly on your feet and provide a judge with a coherent and persuasive argument is one of the key benefits of participating in this competition.
“Although many of the students who participate in the High School Mooting Competition may not study law at university, and may not choose a career in the legal profession, the experience is still invaluable.”
Winners from eight regional areas across Australia competed in the finals, which was held at Bond University on Aug. 1, 2015.