First-year York University student Sarah Mohamed is excited about the inaugural Osgoode Cup National Undergraduate Mooting Competition, which will take place over the weekend of March 5 to 6 at Osgoode Hall Law School.
“I haven’t done any mooting yet but I have heard a lot about it,” says the 17-year-old history major, who will team up with three other students from the York Pre-Law Society to form one of 12 teams from Ontario universities that will participate in this year’s Osgoode Cup. “That’s one of the reasons why I was so excited to hear about this competition, because I would finally have a chance to try out mooting.”
A “moot” is a mock legal proceeding in which students argue an appeal in a case specially designed to challenge and develop their oral and written advocacy skills. This year’s case will deal with the responsibility of social hosts when their party guests consume alcohol and injure unrelated/innocent third parties.
The competition, which is sponsored by the law firm of Beard Winter LLP, will take place at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School on Saturday, March 5, from 9.30am to 3.30pm and Sunday, March 6, from 8.30am to 1.30pm.
This year’s competition, which will feature teams from Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, Guelph and Kitchener, will be judged by a panel consisting of superior court judges and Osgoode Dean Patrick Monahan. In 2006, the Osgoode Cup will become a national competition and, thanks to the generosity of sponsors, students will receive travel bursaries to enable them to participate in the competition.
For more information, contact Virginia Corner, communications manager, Osgoode Hall Law School at ext. 55820 or e-mail vcorner@osgoode.yorku.ca.