Three talented young students from St Joseph’s College in Gregory Terrace, Brisbane - Samuel Cross, Joel Townsley and Charles Troian - have taken out top honours in the prestigious Bond University High School Mooting Competition for 2013.
Mooting is the term given to a legal argument conducted by opposing teams before one or more judges. The argument involves the application of legal rules to factual situations, like those dealt with by the courts every day.
The Bond University High School Mooting Competition, now in its 24th year, is the only national competition of its kind. The event attracts over 100 Year 11 and 12 students from 15 high schools across Australia with the winning team and three most outstanding individual speakers earning themselves a 40% scholarship to study Law at Bond University.
This year’s most outstanding individual speakers, or ‘advocates’, were Kate Penfold of Toowoomba State High School, Georgie White of Mountain Creek State High School and Samuel Cross of the victorious St Joseph’s College team, with Samuel awarded overall outstanding advocate of this year’s competition.
Hot on the heels of the Gregory Terrace mooters was the talented team of Joshua Burland, Lucy O’Sullivan and Lachlan Rayner, from Caulfield Grammar School in Melbourne.
Months of hard work, research and rehearsal go into preparation for the regional rounds, finals and ultimately the grand final which took place at Bond University campus on the Gold Coast late last month.
Director of Mooting at Bond University, Assistant Professor Joel Butler, said that the contest is decided by assessing the advocacy skills of the participants, rather than on the merits of the case.
“The competition is designed to challenge students to prepare, articulate and defend their client in a true-to-life legal case,” Assistant Professor Butler said.
“It introduces students to the courtroom environment and gives them some insight into the workings of the legal system. But more than that, it really challenges them to think and argue at an advanced level” he said.
“It’s not just intended for those students interested in a career in law, but for any keen to expand their horizons and challenge themselves – more than debating or public speaking ever will.”
In addition to the individual advocacy awards, the following students earned Honourable Mentions - Ioana Sabau of Haileybury Girls College, Soraya Pradhan of Seymour College, Lucy O'Sullivan of Caulfield Grammar School and Harry Godber of Sydney Grammar School.
View the Bond University High School Mooting competition page for more information.