Students faced tough questioning designed to imitate a courtroom context
University of Liverpool students met at the Liverpool offices of Brabners to participate in its annual Charity Law Moot Competition.
A moot is a legal debate, based on a factual situation, where two teams of counsel, representing appellant and respondent, attempt to persuade the judges of the strength of their case by reference to legal authority.
The moot problem is a pre-drafted factual situation in which a point or points of law are in dispute. In this particular moot, the debate was around the legal definition of charity. The task of each team is to support the side of the argument with which it has been presented. This is done with reference to legal authority, such as case law or legislation.
The judges weigh up the arguments presented and question counsel during the course of their submissions.
In this competition, the judges also chose one overall winner, Sarah Deakin, whose prize is a week-long work placement at Brabners, to be taken up over the summer holidays. The winning team (the appellants) and the respondent team will all receive a small gift from Brabners to mark their overall achievement in the competition
Professor Debra Morris, Director of the Charity Law & Policy Unit at the University praised the students, who are all currently in the second year of their studies, for their commitment, preparation and performances.
She thanked the judges, Warren Barr, John Picton, both of Liverpool Law School and Stephen Claus, Partner and Head of Charity and Social Enterprise at Brabners. She also thanked Brabners for supporting the competition and for providing such a valuable prize.
She said: “This annual event is becoming increasingly popular with students and all those who participate benefit greatly from the experience. Sarah is delighted to be given the opportunity of a work placement at Brabners.”
Stephen Claus of Brabners, sponsors of the University’s Charity Law & Policy Unit, said: “We are again delighted to show our support for the next generation of lawyers by offering a legal placement to the winning student. We have been able to offer a placement now for several years in the area of Charity Law, something students appear to be very interested in taking up. Brabners is a strong supporter of the University of Liverpool, and in particular the Charity Law & Policy Unit’s work and we are proud to be able to continue to give it our support.”