ALSA Mooting Competition

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UWS Law Students speak their mind

Robert Ishak, Solicitor Director - William Roberts Lawyers, on how he benefited from participation in moots at UWS law school

Michael McIntosh, student 2nd year - Bachelor of Law on how the UWS law degree is focused very much on the practical component providing one with outcomes that assist in employment

John Albert Weaver, Graduate, Bachelor of Law on the real career advantages of studying law at UWS

Dr Sue Armstrong, First Year Law Coordinator on the Orientation Camp 2008 for first year law students. Includes students' reactions.

School of Law

UWS law students argue it to take top honours

Three University of Western Sydney law students have won the Australian Law Students Association (ALSA) mooting competition.

Jonathan Adamopoulos, Matthew Carr and Tim McGrath stood Number 1 in the final standings after pitting against mooters from across Australia and New Zealand. All thirty-three Australian law schools entered the competition.

Make-up of a moot

A moot involves ‘a simulated appeal in a superior court, based on a mock fact scenario and judgment from a lower court’. Judges question law students ‘to see how well they know their facts and the cases surrounding a particular point of law’. The competition is tough and arguments, highly charged.

The preparation

This year a complete team was formed to contend in all of the categories of ALSA competitions which include mooting, negotiation, witness examination, client interviewing, international humanitarian law moot and paper presentation.

The triumph

Sir Anthony Mason (Former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia) with Jonathan Adamopoulos, Tim McGrath and Matt Carr, the winners of Australian Law Students Association (ALSA) mooting competition. Jonathan, Matthew and Tim are ecstatic about their success as well as the fact they presented a case in front of esteemed judge, The Hon. Sir Anthony Mason, AC KBE.

Jonathan also took out the competition's honourable Best Oralist Award. Now in his last year of university, Jonathan's career ahead already looks promising. Next year he will work as a solicitor for top-tier commercial firm, Allens Arthur Robinson.

"The University is very proud of our three top mooters,” said Professor Michael Adams, Head of the School of Law.

Next Stop, Hong Kong

Since winning, the three mooters have been invited to compete for Australia and UWS at the international round to be held in Hong Kong in July 2009.

Good news stories continue

This is by no means the only achievement of the School of Law students in recent months.

Justice Michael Kirby AC recently appointed UWS law graduate Ms Leonie Young as his associate.

A law firm run by two former students of the School of Law received excellent coverage in the national media for its professionalism and green credentials.