Legal Studies

LaTrobe University Interschool Mooting Competition

The La Trobe Uni Mooting Competition is a competition where different schools from all over Melbourne present their legal arguments in a mock trial. A team of four Year 11 Legal Studies students: Silvia Guo, Jackson Langelaan, Kiera Jebb and Lev Voskoboinik represented the College at this event.

Explain how you prepared for the Mooting Competition?

In preparation for the moot, we were required to analyse a legal problem (on the topic of murder), research the relevant case law, and prepare written submissions. We were then required to present as both the prosecution and defence to persuade the judge of the accused’s guilt or innocence. The main issues in contention were whether the accused person had committed the act of killing another in self-defence, or if he’d committed them in the knowledge that he’d be committing grievous bodily harm (which amounts to intent for murder!)

What did we learn?

From our time preparing for the moot, then preparing our submissions to the judge, we have learnt a lot to assist us in our Legal Studies, and beyond. After my application to the moot team was accepted, I realised I was getting into something I had never done before but was excited and nervous as we dug deeper. The whole process meant that teamwork was more important than ever before.

I learnt that you have to trust your peers and ask as many questions as possible in order to understand the cases we had to analyse. I learnt that it is okay to be wrong. That is how I learnt from my mistakes. And it’s how our team improved our arguments.

On the day of the moot, I learnt you had to be very careful with your choice of words, and support all submissions with case law to make them as strong as possible. I know the moot competition has given me many opportunities and I am so happy to have chosen to do it.

Jackson L. 11D

What were the challenges?

For me, there were many challenges our team needed to face. Firstly, our group members had lots of commitments. So we had to negotiate the most practical times to meet. Secondly, in preparing and understanding the legal concepts, we had to read the judgements closely, and this was often quite challenging as it was so complex. However, in meeting regularly as a team, and discussing the case law, we were able to understand and apply it well. I felt we worked well together and were united in our tasks. For example, we developed an online Google Document to ensure everyone could contribute to the preparation process efficiently and see each others’ work and improve it.

It helped, too, having Ms Draper to assist us, and she encouraged us to understand the case material given, and support our speech writing so we felt prepared for the day of the moot.

Silvia G. 11D

For her efforts in presenting the team’s submissions, as well as her ability to respond to the judge’s interjections and questions, Kiera was awarded best speaker in the moot. 

Megan Draper-Devery

Legal  Studies Teacher