On 14th March 2017 four City students faced Lord Sumption at the Supreme Court in the final of the City Scholars Moot.

The City Scholars Moot is open to all students on the LLB and Graduate Entry LLB programmes and kicks off with the first round in November. Finalists for the 2016-17 competition as follows:

• Najma Ali (LLB3)
• Zehra Hassan (GELLB1)
• Kareem Tamam (LLB1)
• Nigar Ali (LLB3)

Mooting truly is the best thing you will ever do as a Law Student. Not many practicing Barristers can say they have presented a case in the Supreme Court. Thus being given the opportunity to do so whilst still a student is truly remarkable and something I will always be grateful for. The following is what I learnt throughout the entire process.

Moots always start and end the same way. You start off nervous at the prospect of trying to pass yourself off as an expert in a particular area of law and nervous at the end of it, eagerly awaiting the news of your success or failure. However, it is all about what happens in-between. Once you get up and actually start talking, a rush of adrenaline hits you and it feels great. You’re on top of the world and it is just you and the judge, in what always feels like your first proper case as a proper Barrister (even if you are not wearing those silly wigs).

Speaking to many of my fellow students, the one thing that seems to put them off joining any competitive moot is the thought of public speaking. Advocacy can be something of a scary thought, but here’s what I would say if you were worried or nervous about mooting.

Firstly, you are at University! This is the time and place in your life where you owe it to yourself to try new experiences. Do something you thought you never would – carpe diem and all that stuff. Also, here is the bit that most students don’t seem to fully comprehend and it bewilders me. There is literally nothing to lose and everything to gain! A moot will force you to read up in some depth on an area of law. Guess what – you are now an expert in that area. A moot will equip you with planning and preparation skills you never knew you had. Guess what – you are now way more organized with your time. Worst-case scenario in a moot is you don’t proceed to the next round. What you will still proceed with however, is all that knowledge you stored up in preparation.

So just how on earth did I end up winning the City Scholars Moot, as a first year against older students, in areas of law I was yet to learn. Well, truthfully I do not know. Nevertheless, if I had to write a winning recipe, this is what I would write.

A little bit of preparation, a lot of research and a sprinkle of confidence all mixed together and poured into some business attire.

Nigar