On Nov. 24, The Laurier Law Society announced that it would be creating a moot court team to take part in the Osgoode Cup. The Osgoode Cup, a National Undergraduate Mooting Competition is Canada’s oldest national mooting competition and is run jointly by the Osgoode Debate Society and the Osgoode Mooting Society.
A team of Wilfrid Laurier University students will join undergraduate students from across the country at the tournament which will be held at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto on Mar. 4.
“As a case before appeal, it is a ‘lawyer’s court’ without witnesses or juries where the facts are generally not in dispute but rather the focus is on legal issues,” said organizers of the Osgoode Cup on their official website.
The aim of the competition is to give prospective law students an opportunity to participate in a simulated court room environment off campus.
“It is a really great way to actually engage students who are interested in either a career in law or going to law school as, in law school itself, mooting is pretty much the largest activity you can get involved with … I personally believe it is one of the single best ways to prepare your oral and research skills in front of a mock court situation,” said Andreas Arvanitis, president of the Laurier Law Society.
Applications to join the Laurier Moot Court team will be released online by the Laurier Law Society on Dec. 1. All applications will be due on Dec. 15.
“… Aside from developing and sharpening your oral and research skills specifically in a legal context, you will also be networking and meeting legal professionals in the area,” explained Arvanitis.
Participants at the Osgoode Cup will be evaluated by legal professionals, including experienced judges and lawyers. Teams will compete in pairs, with one participant playing the role of a researcher, while the other will be involved in the oral presentation component.
“I would like to bring a way to Laurier undergraduate and Laurier arts, a new way for students to actually organize themselves and allow for other schools to see the talent that we have at our school. So I think that it is a great way to put Laurier arts and undergraduate students on the map,” said Arvanitis.
The Laurier Law Society will spend the winter semester preparing for the competition. It will be Laurier’s first time participating in the event.
“For the members that we accept, we will be having law professionals including lawyers, mediators and relevant Laurier professors who are versed in law actually helping us in training,” said Arvanitis.
Laurier’s participation in the Osgoode Cup will open the door for its participation in various other mooting competitions.
“This year, our goal is to really build up the infrastructure of the Laurier pre-law society moot court. There are many [other] moot competitions.”