Ten teams of high school students participated in the 2020 QUTLS High School Moot Competition, where students were commended on the high quality of their research and advocacy skills.
For the past few months, high school students from across South East Queensland meticulously researched and prepared written and oral submissions for a fictional dispute. The case involved two separate negligence cases heard together. An employee responsible for monitoring a large electricity-grid battery was seriously injured after part of the battery exploded. The same explosion also damaged the equipment of an electricity company, Electrolink. Both the employee, Mr Morgan, and the electricity company, Electrolink, sued the operator of the battery, E-Lon Technologies, in negligence.
The final was fiercely contested between Brisbane Girls Grammar School and The Gap State High School. Both teams demonstrated sophisticated arguments and excellent advocacy on behalf of their client; however, ultimately The Gap State High School was declared the winner of the final moot. Annabelle Grayvenstein from The Gap State High School was awarded Best Speaker in the Grand Final.
The competition acts as an introduction to legal reasoning and oral advocacy and provides insight into studying Law at QUT. Each mooting round required two teams to submit an outline of argument, make an appearance before the court and moot on the issues for 20 minutes. The teams competed in four preliminary rounds, followed by two semi-final rounds and a grand final.
On the eve of the grand final, social distancing restrictions were upgraded across Queensland, requiring an urgent shift to virtual event via Zoom. A testament to their adaptability, student competitors, judges, and organisers responded well to the quick change in format.
Prominent members of the legal community adjudicated the competition and offered feedback to the students, with The Honourable Justice Walter Sofronoff, President of the Court of Appeal of Queensland and former Solicitor-General of Queensland; Jane Menzies, Barrister-at-Law, QUT Law University Medallist, Formerly Senior Associate at King & Wood Mallesons and Associate to the Honourable Justice (now Chief Justice) Susan Kiefel AC; and Zane Jhetam, the problem writer, experienced moot judge and penultimate QUT Bachelor of Information Technology/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) student presiding over the grand final.
“Mooting is a fantastic way to gain communication skills, confidence and analytical skills. While mooting can be intense and stressful, mooting as a team can also be very enjoyable. The students should be very proud of their performance and, in particular, their resilience in this challenging time. It’s my hope that the competition gave the students a taste of the hard work required to study a law degree and the fun and community that can be found at QUT. I would also like to thank the 21 QUT law students who volunteered their time as judges, bailiffs or moot coaches,” said Catherine Bugler, Director of the QUTLS Moot Club.
QUT would like to congratulate each school that competed in the competition:
- Brisbane Girls Grammar School
- Clayfield College
- Hillbrook Anglican High School
- Mansfield State High School
- St Laurence’s College
- The Gap State High School
Contact QUTLS if your school is interested in participating in the 2021 High School Mooting Competition.