Great Scot - The Scotch Family Magazine - Issue 151 September 2017 GreatScot_Internal_Sept_2017_FA | Page 32

Tours and Excursions
ABOVE: NATIONAL FINALISTS AT THE BOND MOOTING COMPETITION – ANDREW KROGER, CAMPBELL RICKARD AND MICHEL NEHME.
Scotch moots to success at Bond University
A Scotch team consisting of Andrew Kroger,
Michel Nehme and Campbell Rickard has won
the national final of Bond University’s National
High School Mooting Competition, which offers
Year 11 and 12 students the opportunity to
develop their advocacy skills in a competitive and
academically rigorous environment. Each year
approximately 80 of Australia’s most prominent
schools participate in this intense competition,
which this year was held in May.
Scotch fielded two teams, consisting of Pierre
Rodgers, Gabriel Dartnell and James Arthur (all
of Year 12); and Michel Nehme (Year 12), Andrew
Kroger and Campbell Rickard (both of Year 11).
Following the regional rounds, the Scotch
team of Andrew Kroger, Michel Nehme and
Campbell Rickard was selected to progress to the
national final. In that round they mooted against
St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace, Brisbane.
It was an excellent moot and both teams were
surprised when they were named as the grand
finalists. After they mooted to a large panel of
senior judges, Scotch was named the winner
of the national competition with Michel Nehme
winning the best mooter award and Andrew
Kroger the subsequent advocacy award.
Both teams represented Scotch superbly
in their manner, their sportsmanship and their
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excellent command of the material, the relevant
law and courtroom etiquette. This was due to their
excellent preparation, and the great support of
Old Boy Sam Myers (‘10), who was thorough and
exact when working with the boys on the specific
material.
Pierre Rodgers, who was named as one of
the best speakers of the regional competition,
reflected on his experience:
‘As someone whose main experience with
competitive public speaking had been debating,
mooting provided a refreshing and intellectually
challenging pursuit. Mooting – effectively a mock
law trial – differs significantly from other forms of
public speaking or debating, in that it relies entirely
on logic, case law and understanding of the law to
prove a legal argument.
‘The Bond competition was especially
enjoyable, with the opportunity to compete at the
Gold Coast against schools from across Australia,
and receive fantastic feedback from experienced
law students and professors. Working with an
excellent “mooter” himself, Sam Myers, we
familiarised ourselves with the mock case: an
appeal on the ground of contributory negligence.
‘It was important to be completely on top of
the case, to remember every important detail and
to determine what we expected the opposition
and judges to raise. Most difficult, however, was
learning the case law, and learning the details of
past judgments from real life that related to this
case. Overall, mooting was incredibly enjoyable
and rewarding, and it was fantastic to see the
other Scotch team find such success.’
I received an email from one of the boys
during a weekend preparation: ‘Ms Linossier, I
have invested about 20 hours on mooting over the
weekend and, tell you what – it is ridiculous fun! I
might have to reconsider my disdain for lawyers!
Truly Intellectually, rigorous … just a few thoughts
during my fleeting break between readings!’
MICHELE LINOSSIER – EXTENSION
STUDIES COORDINATOR
Great Scot Number 151 – September 2017