Mooting

Every year, Bangor Students’ Law Society conducts two moots: the McLaren Moot Court Competition, named in honour of Magistrate and Bangor Law School lecturer, Ann McLaren. The contest is an opportunity for students to simulate court proceedings and to apply their knowledge in a practical, hands-on environment, with the final taking place in Caernarfon Crown Court. The second is the Griffiths Cup, the Welsh-medium moot. Unlike the McLaren Moot, the Griffiths Cup is open to all years and will follow the same procedure as the McLaren Moot, including the final taking place in Caernarfon Crown Court.

A moot sees two pairs of advocates – the Appellants and Respondents – argue a fictitious legal appeal case in front of a 'judge' (normally a lecturer or postgraduate student). The winning team is not necessarily the one that wins the legal case, but the team that makes the best presentation of their legal arguments. Mooting is a useful supplement to a law degree as it demonstrates to students how legal knowledge may be applied in real life. Furthermore, it provides a platform for developing analytical, interpretational and public speaking skills.

The competitions focuses on either contract or criminal law, and the McLaren Moot is open to second and third year undergraduates. First years are given the opportunity to act as timekeepers (with the exception of those on the first year of the two year LLB, who can participate in the full competition). The Griffiths Cup is open to all years. The winners of the McLaren Moot competition are invited to an awards ceremony hosted by the Student Law Society, and their names engraved onto the McLaren Moot Shield, which is on display in the Law Library.

For information about upcoming events, follow the dedicated Annual McLaren Moot Court Competition.

Gwylim Owen Exceptional Advocate Competition

Closely associated with the McLaren Moot Court, the Gwylim Owen Exceptional Advocate competition was established to give all first year undergraduate Law students the opportunity to take part in their own dedicated legal competition.

Competitors are asked to present a written legal argument on the issues raised by a given scenario. The best argument, as judged by a selected panel, wins the ‘Gwylim Owen Exceptional Advocate’ award at the annual Moot Court Presentation Evening.

This a bilingual competition, intended to tie in with the ‘Legal Skills’ module, and is a useful way to develop all-important research and citation skills.