In Week 5 of Term 2, an annual mooting competition organised by the University of Southern Queensland was held on the campus located in Ipswich, whereby two QAHS teams competed for the champion title of 2023. This particular mooting competition provided the opportunity for teams to compete as both the respondent and appellant in two separate moots. The Mooting Competitions attempt to imitate real-life court case scenarios, with the addition of judges and court hearings, open to all levels of senior high school students. This competition utilises previous court cases based on the regulations surrounding “duty of care", whereby students, in front of three main judges, were appraised upon multiple factors, such as their skills to weave a clear and logical argument, an excellent understanding of court procedures and legal knowledge, as well as the ability to be able to present such ideas. In essence, this competition proved to be a wonderful opportunity for all students within this competition to not only pursue the champion title, but also to consolidate and demonstrate their own current understanding of the law in reference to negligence.
The Mooting Competition, is a fantastic learning experience for those who wish to pursue a career in law, as students are able to interact with the depth of legal issues and rules at a higher level, improving their own skills in information gathering and writing techniques.
After the mooting event, judges would provide valuable feedback, providing insight for all legal knowledge, enriching the understanding of the law in young mooters, which is a critical asset for those aspiring in the career of law.
This year for the Mooting competition, two QAHS teams had entered, each team comprised of three Year 11 students per team. The first team members were, as follows: Imogen Hanley as Senior Counsel, Katie Neumannova as Junior Counsel and Nikki Lin as the Instructing Solicitor. Whilst, the second team members were Rohan Sen as Senior Counsel, Yaj Borra as Junior Counsel, and Hiro Yokawa as the Instructing Solicitor. From here onwards, Team 1 was successful in their moot, qualifying for the quarter finals, held in July.
Both teams demonstrated dedication to their presentation and preparation of the case with the exceptional support and leadership from Mrs Rebgetz. We thank her for her dedication to our cases and finding the time among her busy schedule to assist in the moot. Additionally, we would like to extend our thanks to the two QAHS Alumni Andrew Perju and Jackson Youngman who assisted the teams as couches, providing valuable feedback and expert knowledge. Their time and patience in preparing the cases is greatly appreciated by both teams.
Reflections from the teams from the mooting competition at University of Southern Queensland 2023:
“Mooting has been a really amazing experience. It has been an incredible learning opportunity which has challenged me and helped me develop my public speaking and critical thinking. I've really enjoyed working together with my team and having the chance to try something new. I'm looking forward to continuing in my mooting journey as we progress in the competition. The UniSQ mooting competition has been a truly rewarding experience and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to take part in it."
Katie Neumannova
“Participating in the University of Southern Queensland's mooting competition has been an enjoyable experience. It has not only encouraged us to step outside of our comfort zones, presenting a 10-minute submission in a mock courtroom where we were questioned throughout by a 'judge', but has also provided me with greater legal knowledge. This opportunity has allowed me to practice analytical skills when breaking down and interpreting court cases, which will be helpful in all aspects of my schooling life and beyond. Furthermore, I have loved working alongside my team members Katie Neumannova and Nikki Lin to problem-solve and put together a submission we are proud of, feeling challenged and accomplished at the same time."
Imogen Hanley
“Mooting this semester has been a rewarding and insightful experience, I appreciate all the preparation and hard work that gone into allowing us to participate in the University of Southern Queensland mooting competition. I would like to give a special mention to Mrs Rebgetz who organised, prepared and humoured our relentless questions at the meetings she organised. I would also like to commend the other QAHS Mooting team and their success in the competition. I had a very good time Mooting and am excited to win the competition next year with the experience I have now."
Rohan Sen
The University of Southern Queensland Mooting Competition 2023 has helped our teams build confidence in public speaking, presentation skills and logical arguments. The QAHS Mooters expressed the gratitude for this amazing experience, working with experienced coaches and expanding our understanding of the law. We look forward to future participations in mooting competitions and the upcoming quarter finals for Team 1.
Nikki Lin and Hiro Yokawa
Uni SQ QAHS Moot Teams Instructing Solicitors