Faculty of Law

Integrated Skills Program

Advocacy and Oral Presentation

The Law School has a strong advocacy and oral presentation program which is aimed at assisting students to develop the ability to define and analyse relevant legal issues in a problem, to research the law relevant to particular problems, to formulate a concise and coherent legal argument and to present argument orally in court. All students are required to participate in a number of moots, which are a valuable means of fostering and teaching advocacy skills.

A moot court competition for the Brian Orr Trophy is run each year in the John F Kearney Moot Court. Students are formed into two-person teams, briefed in respect of a hypothetical appellate case and then argue the case before a fictional court composed of law staff members and/or invited judges and legal practitioners. The Moot Court is equipped with the latest video-recording and play-back technology to assist in the instruction of students in courtroom procedure and techniques.

Mooting is not confined to an annual competition as it is an integral part of the instruction in certain subjects. Moreover mooting teams are entered each year in the Philip C Jessup International Law Mooting Competition. This competition sees teams from around Australia competing for a position in the finals held overseas.