LAU22002 Mooting

 Learning Outcomes  

By the end of this module, students should be able to:   

• Research legal materials effectively  

• Critically evaluate the arguments made in legal cases  

• Advocate effectively in support of a legal argument  

• Present arguments coherently in both written and oral submissions  

• Work effectively in group contexts in pursuit of common objectives  

Module Content  

This programme gives students the opportunity to develop the written and oral advocacy skills which are a central component of any lawyer’s training. The class group is divided into groups of four students and, within this group of four, are subdivided into groups of two, and informed which two will represent the plaintiff/appellant/applicant in the case and which will represent the defendant/respondent. The four person group choose which, of a range of hypothetical legal actions they will engage with. The groups then prepare the written and oral submissions in relation to their chosen legal action and, subsequently, present the oral submissions in the context of a court hearing.  

Students receive instruction throughout the course in relation to mooting generally, and in relation to the preparation of legal arguments and advocacy skills. They work together, in groups, in the preparation and presentation of both forms of legal submission. The course is graded on a pass/fail basis, and, in assessing this, 60% of the evaluation is awarded for the memorial, written in the pair, (with each member of the pair receiving the same mark save in extraordinary circumstances) and 40% for the oral submissions (with each student receiving an individual mark for their presentation).