Felicity McMahon participated as a judge for the second consecutive year in the National Mooting Competition organised by the University of Kent and the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, Swansea University. The competition was designed to encourage first-year students to develop their advocacy skills and to get feedback from solicitors, barristers, and judges.
The event took place on the 2nd and 3rd July with 26 competing teams from across England and Wales. They got involved in a complex public law argument, based on a real case argued before the Court of Appeal.
Each team argued their points 3 times against different teams. A unique aspect of this competition is that the first round was completely formative and was not scored, allowing the teams to practice without fear of losing points. It was a fantastic chance for them to gain experience, particularly for those who were mooting for the first time. They then mooted again for two rounds, with each moot being scored by judges from solicitor firms and Chambers, with the top 4 teams from each day proceeding to the Finals, which will be held on Saturday 19th July 2025 in Francis Taylor Building Chambers in London.
Dr Matthew Parry, from Swansea University, said that “in 2024-2025 it was wonderful to see so many students who had competed in the 2024 event continuing to develop their skills in mooting competitions and, in many cases, progressing to the latter stages of the events. It reflects the reality that advocacy is about experience, and the more experience the students gain, the more likely it is that they will enjoy the skill, as well as progress in their understanding of it. Judging from the Preliminary Rounds this year, the range of talent across England and Wales is clear to see, and both Darren and I are keen to see every participant develop their abilities.”
