Double legal triumph for Bond University teams

Bond University has won two of the world's most prestigious legal mooting competitions in the past month, defeating challengers from some of the world's top universities.

A group of four Bachelor of Laws students has triumphed at the renowned International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Competition in The Hague, adding to the recent Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot win in Hong Kong. 

The ICC Trial Competition takes place annually at one of the world's top centres of justice - The Hague, providing students with the opportunity to showcase their international criminal law knowledge.

This year, the Bond Law team again triumphed against competitors including Yale University, Leiden University and William and Mary Law School, winning the final against teams from India's NALSAR University of Law and Canada's Osgoode Hall Law School. 

Students Cale Davis, Tegan Little, Gabrielle Morriss and Susan Forder walked away with not only the championship but were also recognised as Best Prosecution, while Susan Forder was named Best Victim's Counsel. The team excelled under the guidance of academic advisors, assistant professor Jodie O'Leary and senior teaching fellow Joe Crowley. 

With more than 10 mooting opportunities available throughout the year, Bond University prepares students for the real life court room. Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Geraldine Mackenzie, said the benefits for students taking part in mooting competitions during their university studies stretch beyond the trophies and accolades on offer. 

"Put simply, mooting gives students the opportunity to argue a specific fictitious case in front of a Judge or Judges against opposing Counsel," Prof. Mackenzie said. 

"Generally speaking, each mooting competition focuses on a specific area of law, so students have to come to grips with a specialised area of the law such as family law, international law, criminal law, intellectual property law and so on, to a level of detail that they would not necessarily attain in their normal classes." 

Bond University vice-chancellor Robert Stable congratulated the students on their outstanding performances in both competitions. 

"Mooting is a wonderful opportunity for students with an interest in certain areas of law to work with like-minded peers and network with global contacts in the legal industry," he said. 

"For Bond University to take out two top international legal competitions in one week is an incredible feat. Arguably, Bond University is now the best advocacy-teaching university in the world with such an outstanding record." 

Bond University has won four international (including a win at the ICC Trial Competition in 2009) and three Australian mooting competitions in the past three years.

www.bond.edu.au

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