During this term, the annual QUT high school mooting competition took place on Friday August 1 and Saturday August 2. The annual competition features teams of two, one as senior counsel or junior counsel, with a potential addition of a third instructing solicitor.
Mooting is a simulated court proceeding, where students practice oral advocacy skills by arguing a hypothetical case before a panel of judges. Students develop submissions to either prosecute or defend the parties in question and later develop oral submissions to present while answering any questions presented by the judge. In this case, mooters were presented with a criminal law matter, a case of assault occasioning bodily harm and grievous bodily harm and were required to develop submissions for the defence and prosecution with key issues focusing on consent and intent. Scoring occurs out of 100, with key criteria that encompass written submissions, oral delivery, quality of arguments, rebuttals and responses to judges.
QUT's high school mooting competition offered a unique format, with teams presenting as both prosecution and defence on separate days. Our dedicated mooters gave up their Friday and Saturday to travel to Brisbane and compete against 63 teams from across Queensland. The panel of judges included experienced prosecutors and defence lawyers, bringing real-world expertise to the competition. After months of preparation—practising case law on the walk to school and tirelessly annotating the case—our mooters faced their moment in the spotlight. Each team had just 10 minutes to present, navigating unexpected questions from the judges that challenged their arguments. Mooters had to be prepared to adjust their submissions to account for this used time, and ensure their submissions were clearly delivered.
This year, QAHS entered two teams with students from Year 11, consisting of Prince Sidiangco as Senior Counsel accompanied by Jelena Uzelac as Junior Counsel, and another team comprised of Johanna Lee as Senior Counsel accompanied by Anna Yan as Junior Counsel. Both teams received amazing scores, with much positive feedback for their well-planned responses and speaking manner. On top of academic preparation, and assessments, the team are commended for their calculated preparation, and time management.
Being able to participate in QUT Mooting as my first moot ever was really insightful to what law has to offer, in the months of preparation until the competition, the experience made me genuinely consider Law as a potential career path. I think the most enjoyable and rewarding parts within mooting were the ideation process and the actual speaking and presenting in front of a panel of judges. Mooting challenged my teammates and I to think and look at laws and legislation from new perspectives which I believe can be implemented to everyday life, to look at obstacles in new perspectives to overcome them. Thank you to Jelena for being an amazing Junior Counsel, and to Mrs Rebgetz for organising this whole experience and taking time out of her busy schedule to accommodate for our mountains of questions. All the best to future mooters.
Prince Sidiangco (Senior Counsel)
Participating in QUT's mooting competition was an absolute privilege. I was able to develop a better understanding of how court proceedings work, while also gaining insight into the strenuous effort required to ensure the appropriate verdict is reached, as the prosecution or defence side. I learnt to approach cases by considering both the legal principles and the real-world factors at play, and gained a clearer understanding of how complex issues, such as consent, are addressed in a court room. My favourite part was delivering submissions and rebutting arguments. Thank you so much to Prince for being such an amazing, supportive Senior Counsel, and Mrs Rebgetz for offering her time and support during preparation, both during school term and the winter school break. Mooting is an experience that really opens your eyes to logical issues in everyday life and builds your critical thinking under pressure. Good luck to all the future mooters who will take on the stand next!
Jelena Uzelac (Junior Counsel)
What made the experience especially memorable, however, was the teamwork involved. I am incredibly grateful to my teammate, Anna, for being such a wonderful partner throughout this journey as well as to Mrs Rebgetz for her generous time, guidance, and continuous support in shaping our arguments and submissions. Mooting reminded me that learning can be as much about the process as the outcome. The mix of rigorous intellectual challenge and the camaraderie of working alongside someone you trust is something I will carry forward, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the experience to anyone willing to step outside their comfort zone.
Johanna Lee (Senior Counsel)
This competition was both challenging and incredibly rewarding. As my first moot, it pushed me to understand legal formalities and affairs and consider the many aspects of law found in everyday life. Presenting before the judges was nerve-wracking, yet I enjoyed answering their questions even under pressure, teaching me to articulate my points quickly. I'm grateful to my teammate, Johanna, for her dedication and Mrs Rebgetz for her support and patience. To future mooters, I highly recommend this experience, it was a fun and valuable experience!
Anna Yan (Junior Counsel)
Jelena Uzelac, Prince Sidiangco, Johanna Lee and Anna Yan
Year 11 Mooters