Moot victory for City University

23 June, 2005

City University is the winning team in this year’s ESU – Essex Court Chambers National Mooting Competition. Elizabeth Prochaska and Benedict Rodgers beat off Katherine Hallett and Jeremy Lightfoot representing University of Oxford in the exciting evening final, which was held in the Lord Chief Justice’s Court of the Royal Courts of Justice last night.

The competition, now in its thirty- third year, was judged by a panel chaired by The Hon Mr Justice Lawrence Collins. The other judges were Jeffery Gruder QC – Essex Court Chambers and Professor Robert Stevens – Essex Court Chambers.

Jeffrey Gruder QC explains why Essex Court Chambers supports the mooting competition:
“The activity of mooting is outside the scope of a student’s regular academic studies but it is a discipline we are pleased to foster through this sponsorship. We believe that by encouraging young lawyers to hone their advocacy skills at an early stage we are effectively investing in the future of the Bar.”

Winner Islington born and bred Benedict Rodgers said: “I’d like to thank City University for encouraging me to take up mooting. It is a great place to study law and we are pleased to be bringing the silver mace to Islington for the first time.”

In a moot, two pairs of ‘advocates’ argue a fictitious legal appeal case in front of a ‘judge’. To win, you do not necessarily have to win the legal case, but must make the best presentation of your legal arguments.

The City University duo was speaking for the appellants, Oxford for the respondents, tackling the complex but fictional problem of The Bank of Middlemarch v Sparkling Diamonds PLC.

The winners received a silver Mace and a prize of £1,000 each. City University received a donation of £1,000. The runners up received “The Scarman Shield”, £750 each and the Oxford University received £500. The cash prizes were generously donated by Essex Court Chambers where all four finalists will also be offered a mini-pupillage.