Mooting

Participants, or “mooters”, take part in simulated court proceedings, which usually involves the submission of written briefs and presenting oral arguments. The problems that participants are asked to write on explore complex legal issues, usually at an appellate level.

While at Law School, students must participate in a compulsory moot during part III or IV of their degree to complete the requirements of the LLB programme.

Students will have the option of doing a General moot, a Māori Issues moot, a Pacific Islands moot or a Family Law moot. Sign ups generally take place during the first week of semesters 1 and 2.

Sign-up for the General Moot takes place in week three of Semester One and week one of Semester Two.

The Māori Issues moot is open to all students in Parts III and IV in semester 2. This moot provides students the opportunity to argue on points of law expressly concerning Māori issues. Participants may moot in te reo Māori or English.  

The winner of the Māori Issues moot is the recipient of the Gina Rudland Prize. The highest placed mooter of Māori ethnicity, who is a member of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa (New Zealand Māori Law Society), is invited to represent the University of Auckland at the National Māori Issues Moot Competition.

The Pacific Issues moot is open to all students in Part III and IV. The moot is sponsored by the Pacific Lawyers Association and the winner of this moot (or distinguished mooters) may be invited to represent Auckland at the Law and Culture Conference.

The Family Law moot, also known as the Brian Shenkin Memorial Family Law moot, is a limited-entry moot on a family law topic. Participants should have passed or be enrolled in LAWGENRL 402 or LAWGENRL 433 Family Law to participate in this moot.

Auckland Law School does extremely well in national and international competitions. AULSS representatives organise the Minter Ellison Rudd Watts Witness Examination, the Russell McVeagh Client Interviewing Competition and the Buddle Findlay Negotiation Competition.

Winners of these competitions have the opportunity to compete against other New Zealand law schools, and if successful nationally, may compete internationally. Watch the student noticeboards for information on these competitions.

Please visit the Mooting Society’s website for a more detailed outline of the mooting opportunities at Auckland Law School. Please note that the Mooting Society also runs a First Year Moot to introduce to mooting those not yet admitted into Part II of Law School.

Justice Sir Robert Chambers Memorial Moot

2015 was the inaugural year for the First Year Moot. A total of 128 students competed and $2,500 of prize money was awarded to the finalists. The moot provided an opportunity for students to practice the skills they learnt in LAW 131.

Junior Moot

This competition is aimed at new Part II Law students and is the first mooting opportunity for students. The winners represent the University at the annual NZLSA conference.

Torts Moot

This is a compulsory component of the Torts course and forms part of the tutorial programme. 

John Haigh Memorial Moot

This competition was established in memoriam of John Haigh QC and is the Law School’s largest competition. In 2014, 32 teams competed with the final being judged by Harrison, Toogood and Moore JJ. The moot provides a valuable opportunity for students to develop their advocacy skills.

There are also significant cash prizes for the finalists. Most students that apply will be able to compete.

Ministry of Justice Sentencing

This competition mimics a real-life sentencing trial where competitors act as defence counsel or the Crown. In the past, this competition has been run in the High Court with High Court judges. There are significant cash prizes to be won by the finalists.

Stout Shield

This is Auckland’s most prestigious mooting competition. The winners will represent Auckland nationally and in Australia.

Stout is also open to Part III students who have completed all their Part II courses.

Meredith Connell Greg Everard Memorial Moot

This moot was established in memoriam of Greg Everard and is Auckland’s other elite mooting competition. Students must have completed a compulsory Faculty or elective moot to be eligible to compete. There are large cash prizes.

Auckland Law School students regularly take part in an array of mooting and mediation competitions around the world enjoying great success. Participating in student competitions is an excellent way to enhance your legal knowledge and skills and provides students with enriching, real-world experience. International competitions where Auckland students have excelled in recent years include:  

• The Philip C Jessup International Law Moot: the world’s largest and most prestigious international law mooting competition attracting students from more than 700 law schools in 90 countries. It is held annually in Washington DC. 
• The Willem C. Vis Moot: this moot focusses on international commercial law and arbitration. Students have opportunities to take part in preliminary competitions around the world before competing in the main competition in Vienna. 
• The ICC Mediation Competition: a mediation competition that brings 450 participants together from around the world to compete in front of professional mediators.