Practice makes perfect, and for law students, mooting is practice. For students at Queen's Faculty of Law this practice just took a giant leap forward thanks to a $100,000 gift from Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP.
Mooting is a mock trial and participation is a risk-free yet realistic practice in a courtroom environment. Participating in competitions hones these skills. The gift helps fund expenses for students to attend mooting competitions.
Each year, up to 75 upper-year Queen's law students participate in about 16 mooting competitions in Canada, the U.S. and internationally. Each competition focuses on a real or invented question involving a specific field of law (criminal, Aboriginal, administrative and constitutional, intellectual property, etc.). The judges, practicing jurists, use the standards of an actual courtroom.
"Everything about it is as real as the real thing"
One high-profile competition in which Queen's has traditionally fared well is the Philip C Jessup International Law Moot, which focuses on public international law. Another high-profile moot, the Arnup Cup, is a trial advocacy competition in which two-person teams from law schools at Queen's, Osgoode, Ottawa, Toronto, Western and Windsor participate.
Last year, Queen's law students Ben Snow and Bryan Guertin (both Law'14) took top honours at the prestigious contest. Snow, who is now articling in Toronto, says mooting at events like the Arnup Cup is a great experience that helps fledging litigators become comfortable in front of a judge.
"Getting your bearings in a courtroom can be a big challenge when you’re used to being in a classroom, and it can be really nerve-wracking," says Mr. Snow. "Getting on your feet, in front of a podium, and facing judges in a proper setting has a lot of value. Everything about it is as real as the real thing."
"We're delighted that Lenczner Slaght’s gift will enable our law students to continue participating in moot court opportunities in Canada and around the world," says Chris Essert, the chair of the Faculty of Law's Moot Committee. "Queen's law has an excellent track record in mooting and this generous support will help us maintain it."
