Adelaide’s Seymour College has been named the Bond University Faculty of Law High School Mooting Competition champions for the second year in a row, taking out the grand final held at Bond University on Saturday July 30.
Competing in the Faculty of Law’s state-of-the-art courtrooms, team members Evana Platis, Chelsea Leembruggen and Madeleine Surman mooted against students from leading schools around Australia including Scotch College and Smith’s Hill High School.
As winners, each team member received a 40 % scholarship to study Law at Bond University and Seymour College retains the perpetual High School Mooting Shield for another year.
Competition in the grand final proved fierce and the Seymour College team impressed the grand final judging panel, composed of His Honour Judge John Newton, Administrative Appeals Tribunal Senior Member Bernard McCabe and Bond University Legal Skills Director, Clinical Associate Professor Libby Taylor, who commended the students on their mooting skills and preparation.
“The Seymour College team demonstrated an ability to deliver persuasive and convincing arguments,” said Clinical Associate Professor Taylor.
“They were able to think quickly and respond confidently from questions from the bench. Overall the team showed maturity and professionalism and their success was well deserved. “
Outstanding advocate awards were presented to Tyrone Connell and Charles Austin from Scotch College and Simon Brandis from Anglican Church Grammar School. Each of the outstanding advocates also received a 40% scholarship to study Law at Bond University.
Mooting Master and Bond University Associate Professor of Law David Field said the High School mooting competition introduces students to the courtroom environment and the challenge of real-life legal situations.
“The competition is an opportunity for all students to build their confidence and to put their thoughts into words, which is the type of exposure this competition offers that a classroom setting may not,” said Professor Field.
“The long-standing term "mooting" is used for legal debate, and historically law schools concentrated on simply teaching the law without practical skills of how to use it.” He continued.
“Bond University’s Faculty of Law was one of the first law schools to lead the way in putting the legal craft back into law studies.
“For prospective law students, the Bond University High School Mooting Competition also offers the chance to test their potential skills as court advocates and to practise persuasive speaking, while arguing a point on their feet,” Professor Field said.
Bond University’s annual High School Mooting Competition is open to all grade 11 and 12 high school students Australia-wide. Registrations for the 2012 competition will open in November this year. For more information on how schools can get involved visit High school mooting competition.
To read more about Bond University’s law programs, visit bond.edu.au/law.