Autumn Cup 2024 – Speed Mooting

National Speed Mooting Competition Autumn Cup 2024
In Partnership With BPP University Law School

The National Speed Mooting Competition Autumn Cup 2024 is taking place on Saturday 7th September 2024 at BPP London Central, 68-70 Red Lion Street, London, WC1R 4NY. Read below for more information.

This year’s materials have been prepared by a mooting expert from BPP University Law School.

Full details of the competition can be found below. All places have now been filled. We do have more competitions coming up. If you would like to hear about our further competitions, join our mailing list.

National Speed Mooting Competition Autumn Cup 2024 in partnership with BPP University Law School

Sat 7th September 2024 at BPP London Central, 68-70 Red Lion Street, London, WC1R 4NY

9:00 am until 6:00 pm

About the competition

The National Speed Mooting Competition was initially founded by criminal lawyer, John Dove, in the 2012/2013 academic year. There have now been 12 annual competitions.

The National Speed Mooting Competition Autumn Cup 2024 in partnership with BPP is open to:

– Law undergraduates and graduates;

– GDL students and graduates;

– Masters, BPTC and LPC students and graduates

– Those falling outside of the above parameters at the discretion of the organisers

Participants enter as individuals rather than teams and represent themselves and not their university. There is therefore no limit on the number of students that can enter from any given institution.

The moot problem will be based on a simple point of law. Submissions will be limited to 7 minutes per mooter (hence the name Speed Mooting). This will include the time for intervention. Judges are encouraged to ask only one question, unless there is a specific need for more questioning. The bundle will be sent to participants by no later than 6.00 pm on Friday 6th September 2024. By sending out the bundle the night before the competition, we are replicating the scenario in practice when a barrister or solicitor receives a later brief to appear in court the next day.

The bundle will include all case law and legislation. Pre drafted skeleton arguments will be included in the bundle. This means that the competition will not involve any drafting or legal research and mooters will be tested on their oral advocacy alone. The competition is judged by practising barristers and solicitors and academics.

Competition format

The target size for each competition is 128 mooters. The competition will take place over the course of a single day. We will therefore go from having 128 competitors all the way to having a winner in a single day. This will work out as 7 knockout rounds for the winner.

Mooters will have seven minutes to present their submissions in the early rounds and 10 minutes in the semi final and final; hence the name speed mooting. This places huge emphasis on succinct, powerful arguments and avoiding verbosity. Throughout the day participants will be asked to present the case for either the Appellant or the Respondent and this will vary for participants from round to round. Judgments will be given at the end of each moot and some judges may even give feedback, which will allow participants to hone their advocacy skills throughout the day.

The day starts at 9 am and will be finished by 6pm, although will likely finish before this. If you are eliminated at any stage during the day, you are free to leave. If you are eliminated, you are more than welcome to stay for the additional features in the afternoon and/or to watch the final.

Other Features on the Day

There will be a Q&A session with lawyers of varying degrees of experience that can provide advice on applications, interviews and life in practice. There will also be an advocacy exhibition. This will allow you to pick up useful tips on court advocacy.

Lunch, Teas and Coffees

Lunch, teas and coffees will be provided on the day.

Prize

The winner will receive an iPad. The runner up will receive a £100.00 Amazon voucher.

All places have now been filled. If you would like to be the first to know about our future competitions, join our mailing list.

Looking to practise your advocacy?

If you are looking to practise your advocacy, why not join our Advocacy Club?

The advocacy club is a friendly, non-judgmental club for aspiring lawyers to practise and improve their advocacy. The club is open to those who are new to advocacy and looking to make a start through to those who are very experienced in mooting and advocacy. The Advocacy Club meets online twice per month.

John Dove

Founder of the National Speed Mooting Competition