The main opportunity to moot at Middle Temple comes from our annual Rosamund Smith Competition.
Other opportunities include an annual moot with Pepperdine University, held at the Royal Courts of Justice and the Middle Temple Vis Moot team who enter the Willem C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. Details are below.
In addition, we need students to act as timekeeps for the Rosamund Smith Competition - see details below.
Rosamund Smith Mooting Competition
Every year Middle Temple hosts a mooting competition for its student members. It is open to both Bar Course and CPE/GDL students. The competition is run on a 'knock-out' basis, and students compete in teams of two. The team that wins the moot will go through to the next round. Whilst the initial rounds will be held online and are not open to spectators, the semi-finals and final take place in Hall before a dinner, usually in front of a large audience. At every round, the judge of the moot will be a senior barrister or a judge.
Each finalist will win a wig and gown. In addition, they usually take part in a fully funded mooting exchange with a US university (either Pepperdine University in California or University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill).
An Introductory Evening will be held on Wednesday 6th December 2023 to provide useful information and tips for registered participants before the competition gets underway.
The first rounds of Moot Heats will begin in January and continue into May. The semi-finals and the final will be held in Hall before dinner in June and October respectively. The moot problem will be provided 2 weeks ahead of each moot to give ample time to work on it alongside your studies and other commitments.
How to enter the competition
Where possible you should find your own mooting partner before applying to enter the competition. You do not both have to be studying at the same university, although it can help as it means you have similar schedules.
By entering the competition you undertake to compete it every round until such time as your team is knocked out of the competition. Depending on how far you progress through the rounds this can amount to a significant time commitment.
To be eligible to enter you and your partner must both be members of the Middle Temple and current students on either the Bar Course or the GDL for the whole of the academic year 2023-24 (if you have completed the course in the previous academic year and are still sitting exams you are not eligible).
Applications will open on 18 September 2023 and will close on 16 November 2023.
CLOSED
Mooting with Pepperdine University
Middle Temple usually organises moots with Pepperdine University, an American University with a branch in London. The Pepperdine competition takes place in the Royal Courts of Justice every year and provides the mooters with a truly memorable experience.
Pepperdine University School of Law invite interested students from Middle Temple to take part in the annual Royal Courts of Justice Moot Court Competition to be held on Wednesday 15 November 2023 at the Royal Courts of Justice from 18:15 to 20:15, followed by refreshments at a nearby pub. Please note that this event is not a qualifying session. For full details please download the invitation letter.
Each year we ask for applications to take place and then choose at random a number of Middle Temple student members to compete. Each Middle Temple student will be paired up with a Pepperdine student.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
Applications close on Thursday 12 October at 17:00. If you have are chosen to participate you will be contacted and put in touch with your Pepperdine partner.
The Willem C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
The Middle Temple will not be participating in this moot during the academic year 2023/24.
Moot Judges
Practitioners of at least 5 years’ Call up to and including retired professionals can act as Moot Judges in the annual Rosamund Smith Mooting Competition.
Initial rounds are held in private on weekday evenings. The first two rounds are conducted remotely on Zoom, the following third and fourth rounds take place in the Rutledge Suite, Ashley Building.
It is not necessary to have any prior legal knowledge or experience in the subject matter of the moot. Each problem comes with a ‘crib’ for moot judges, and only a very short decision on the law is required – a few sentences summarising the legal outcome is fine. The more important part of the judge’s role is the evaluation of the mooters’ performance, with constructive feedback.
Moot judging is a great opportunity to support and engage with students, and we know they find this interaction with practitioners invaluable. Those of us who have acted as moot judges have found it enjoyable and worthwhile.
If interested please get in touch with Geoff via g.brown@middletemple.org.uk.
Moot Timekeepers
The Inn requires volunteers to act as timekeepers for the Rosamund Smith mooting competition which runs from January through to October every year.
Undergraduates are welcome to volunteer for the role. This can be a great way to get first hand experience of moots and an opportunity to interact with (often very senior!) members of the profession.
Moots are scheduled for 17:30 and last approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. There is no formal dress code required for the timekeeper. Early rounds will be held online, so you can timekeep from home!
Timekeepers for the semi-final and final rounds are also invited to stay for the dinner in Hall after the moot.
Membership of the Inn is not a requirement, but students currently studying for the LLB, LLM or GDL are given priority.
If interested please get in touch with Geoff via g.brown@middletemple.org.uk.