ubc moot court

This year, we will host the sixth annual undergraduate Moot Court competition. It promises to be an exciting two-day conference, whether you’re concerned with destroying your competition, making a few friends or preparing for law school. Everyone is encouraged to compete, and prior experience is certainly not necessary!

This year’s case will tackle Medical Malpractice Law.

What is Moot Court?

Moot court is an exercise used by most law schools, and recently by a number of undergraduate programs, designed to focus students on certain elements of bringing a case before a hypothetical court. The competitions are based on fictitious cases and legal questions. Moot court provides students with the opportunity to practice their advocacy skills by writing legal briefs and presenting oral arguments. Moot court differs from other “mock trial” competitions because it doesn’t traditionally include questioning witnesses or presenting evidence.

During a moot court competition, students receive a trial record, which contains facts of a hypothetical case referred to as a “problem.” Students use the facts presented in the problem, along with additional research, to develop arguments for one or more sides of the issue. These arguments are refined and presented during the competition in two ways. First, students prepare a written submission, often called a brief, which is mailed to the competition judges ahead of time, read and reviewed. Second, students prepare and present oral arguments before a panel of judges, who consider both the quality of the written document and the oral presentation to determine the winner of the competition. The weekend of the competition, delegates will present oral arguments to the Judge against their peers.

More information can be requested from the UBC Moot Court Chairs, John, Maya, and Olivia, at mootcourt.ubcpssa@gmail.com.