News
Bell Gully mooting competition showcases future advocates
The Bell Gully Mooting Competition 2007, held at law schools throughout the country, has showcased some of the country's leading advocates of the future.
The winners of the respective competitions were Anna Crowe and James Little (Auckland); Shona Foster and Wayne Hofer (Waikato); Christopher Bishop and Josh Cameron (Victoria); Arpana Raj and Daniel Weatherly (Canterbury); and Emily Harris and Helen Townley (Otago).
This year's competition was especially pleasing for Bell Gully as two of the winners have connections with the firm. Both James Little and Emily Harris worked at Bell Gully over the summer, in the firm’s summer clerk programme.
Each year students compete in teams of two in a mock court situation to argue a legal problem. Although the problem is hypothetical, the students are expected to apply the law as in a real case. The moots are judged by both members of the judiciary and senior members of the profession. Some of the issues that the students had to grapple with this year in the University finals included the law of criminal attempts, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act protection of freedom of expression, and judicial review of private bodies.
Bell Gully's mooting co-ordinator, partner Ian Gault said: "The quality of the submissions this year has been excellent. Advocacy is a key part of legal practice, whether it be before the courts and other tribunals, or across the table negotiating a transaction. Mooting provides an opportunity for advocacy skills practice that is as good as it gets - I'm sure the finalists this year agree."
The winners of each university competition will compete in the national competition in Christchurch in September, as well as the Australasian mooting competition in July. The winners of the national moot then go on to represent New Zealand in the Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, in Washington D.C. in 2008.
Bell Gully is proud to be a long-term sponsor of mooting throughout New Zealand. The firm supports the competitions by providing mooting problems, judges, and financial assistance to allow students to attend the national, Australasian and international competitions.
Learn more about the Bell Gully Mooting Competition.
At the Auckland mooting competition, from left, Professor Paul Rishworth (Auckland Law Dean), Simon Mount (Advocacy Lecturer), students James Little, Alexander Ho and Anna Crowe, Justice Heath, student Stephanie Van der Wel and Ian Gault (Bell Gully).
