Australia's next generation of lawyers will be given an important lesson in resilience and the chance to showcase their best arguments, as they compete at the 29th annual Bond University High School Mooting Competition Grand Final this weekend (Friday, 1 June to Saturday, 2 June).
The two-day event will see 14 teams of Year 11 and 12 students from across Australia develop their oral advocacy skills in a competitive environment, as they battle it out in front of some of the country's most respected judges, members of the legal profession and legal academics.
Students will learn to think on their feet as they present arguments to the judges - including the Honourable Justice Robert Gotterson AO from the Queensland Supreme Court and retired District Court of Queensland Judge John Newton - who will question and challenge their arguments.
Teams from all over Australia were flown to Bond University on the Gold Coast earlier this month for the first round of the national mooting competition, with 14 finalist teams selected for the Grand Final Rounds this weekend.
Bond University Faculty of Law Director of Mooting, Assistant Professor Louise Parsons, said the competition provided a real-world experience for students.
"The Bond University High School Mooting Competition is one of the highlights of my year. It is always fantastic to see how enthusiastic these students are, and the high quality of arguments they put forward every year is an absolute delight," she said.
"To see the competition grow from 85 teams last year to 100 this year demonstrates the passion in the next generation of law students.
"It is such an important initiative to provide students across the country with the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a lawyer with real-world practice at Bond's Moot Court.
"The benefits these students gain goes far beyond the courtroom, with the development of resilience one of the best qualities they can take away from this experience."
Assistant Professor Parsons said the competition at this year's Bond University High School Mooting Competition was outstanding.
"Each year, we invite eight to ten teams to the finals competition, however this year the standard of mooting was so impressive, we have invited 14," she said.
"The top two teams from the two-day competition will head to the Grand Final on Saturday afternoon, where a national winner will be crowned.
"I can't wait to see the best-of-the-best battle it out and have all their hard work recognised."
The National Grand Finals will be held at the Bond University Moot Court on Friday, 1 June and Saturday, 2 June 2018.
Finalists of the Bond University High School Mooting Competition for 2018:
- Brisbane State High School, Brisbane
- Camberwell Girls Grammar School, Melbourne
- Citipointe Christian College, Brisbane
- Emmanuel College – Team 2, Gold Coast
- Fairholme College, Toowoomba
- Heights College, Rockhampton
- Presbyterian Ladies College, Perth - Team 2
- Pymble Ladies’ College, Sydney – Team
- Seymour College, Adelaide
- Scotch College – Team 1, Adelaide
- Somerset College - Team 1, Gold Coast
- Somerville House, Brisbane
- St. Peters Girls School – Team 1, Adelaide
- The Scots College, Sydney
Find out further information on Bond's High School Mooting Competition.