Competitions

The highest-level moot which the AULSA offers is the Open Moot. It is available for all LLB students to enter, however recommended that competitors have reached the later stages of a different moot, or some mooting experience. Students can compete in teams of 2 to 3 and are marked as team throughout the competition.

It consists of: - 2 Preliminary Rounds, - a Quarter Final, - a Semi Final, and - a Grand Final. Competitors compete in teams of 2 or 3.

All competitors progress through the first preliminary round, and the top 8 teams progress to the quarter finals. From there the winners of each round progress to the next.

The winners of this competition have the opportunity to represent the AULSA at the National ALSA Championship Moot.

Open to: All law students.

Recommended for: For Second year law students and beyond who have previously competed in the Novice Moot or First Year Moot Competition.

The Novice Moot is open to all students who have not reached the finals stage of any other moot. However, because the competition features a broader array of practice areas than the First Year Moot, we recommend the Novice Moot for second-year students and above.

If you are beyond your first year but not quite confident enough for the Open Moot, the Novice Moot is a great place to start! Mooting is one of the best ways to improving your legal reasoning and public speaking skills. In the Novice Moot, competitors argue appellate cases by preparing their written submissions over a week-long period and then arguing their case before a judge.

Teams are made up of two people (senior and junior counsel) but competitors are judged on their individual performance!

The Negotiations competition involves two teams of two solicitors meeting to discuss and resolve a dispute between their clients. Each team is given a brief of secret facts about their client’s situation, including what the client wants and doesn’t want. It is the job of the solicitors to negotiate together in good faith to resolve the dispute in a way that makes both parties happy. For this reason, the winner is not necessarily the team that walks away with the best deal, but the team who uses strategy and tactics to obtain the most favourable outcome.

Open to: All law students.

Recommended for: Law students in all year levels.

The Client Interviewing competition is a simulated interview between a team of two students acting as lawyers, and a client seeking an initial legal consultation.

The competition focuses on interviewing skills and is therefore the perfect competition for students in all year levels. Please note that competitors are still expected to have a basic grasp of the law.

Open to: Law students in all year levels.

Recommended for: Law students in all year levels.

In the Witness Examination competition, competitors simulate a civil or criminal trial. Most rounds are conducted in teams of two (senior and junior counsel) and one non-competitive witness for each side. Competitors are given witness statements and information 90 minutes before the trial commences and must prepare a short case in that time. They deliver opening statements to the judge, question witnesses and then summarise their case while attempting to put forward the best case possible. The competition involves quick thinking, improvisation and the ability to go toe-to-toe with a usually uncooperative witness!

While members will compete as teams in the Preliminary rounds, they will be marked as individuals and progress through to the final rounds of the competition as individuals.

Open to: Law students in all year levels.

Recommended for: Law students in second year and above.

Paper presentation involves researching and writing a legal essay on any topic of choice between 3000 and 5000 words. It can be an essay you’ve already completed for class! You will be assessed on the written quality, including compliance to AGLC and your ability to explain and defend your ideas.

The top 4 competitors will present their essays as an oral presentation for 15 minutes in a Semi-Final. A judging panel will then question you on your presentation for 10 minutes. The winner will have the opportunity to represent the AULSA at the ALSA Paper Presentation Competition!