In a closely fought Moot Final against strong opposition representing Lincoln’s Inn, a Bristol Mooting team was narrowly beaten in the prestigious Inner Temple Inter-Varsity one day Mooting Competition.  The Bristol team (represented by Thara Gopalan (3 ^rd year) and Natasha Miller (2 ^nd Year)) impressed in 4 earlier rounds to reach the Final, where, after a strong showing before a demanding bench of three judges (all leading Barristers), they were narrowly shaded by an impressive Lincoln’s Inn team.

The competition – which concerned a Moot covering two difficult land law points – involved 5 “knock-out” rounds (including the Final) and took place over the course of Sunday 2 February.  Each team was required to submit 1 skeleton for the Appellant and 1 skeleton for the Respondent.  Competitors were informed minutes before each moot whether they were representing one side or the other.  Teams competed from Law Schools all over the country, and the winning team received a trophy donated by the King of Bhutan and mini-pupillages at Tanfield Chambers (the Competition’s sponsors). 

Each Law School supplied their own judges, but judges were not permitted to judge their own team.  Professor Harry McVea represented the University of Bristol, School of law.  Many of the moots involved more than one judge and many of the judges were also Barristers with an association with the Inner Temple.

A similar one day knock out competition will be held in Bristol on Saturday 15^th February in the Wills Memorial Building.  The event is sponsored by leading Bristol Law firm, Bond Dickinson LLP, and the London ‘magic circle’ firm, Slaughter & May.  St John’s Chambers, Bristol, will offer mini-pupillages to the winning team.