2020 Blackstone National Mooting Program Applications

Are you interested in representing Blackstone at a national moot this year? If so, please carefully read the information below and apply!

Applications are now open for students interested in representing The Blackstone Society in our Semester 2 intervarsity mooting competitions:

· Sir Harry Gibbs Constitutional Law Moot (3 students)

· Alfred Deakin International Commercial Arbitration (ICA) Moot (3 students)

What are the benefits of participating in the program?

In 2020, Blackstone is introducing a brand new advocacy training program, designed to provide students with advanced training in advocacy, research and drafting. These skills are highly sought after by future employers.

Participants will also benefit from a series of practice moots before leading members of the WA legal profession, providing mooters with an excellent opportunity to build lasting professional relationships.

Nature of the commitment

While the two competitions are different, both demand a significant commitment of time and energy from students, and participants must be willing to spend a significant amount of time over and above their regular studies preparing for their moot.

The Gibbs Moot question will be available during the winter break. The Deakin Moot question will be available from 1 July. Once the problem questions are available, participants will be expected to begin preparing their written submissions.

Application process & selection criteria

To apply, students must complete the application form below by 5pm Friday 19 June 2020.

Four primary selection criteria will be considered:

· availability & willingness to dedicate a significant proportion of one’s time to the moot;

· past mooting experience;

· research abilities; and

· interest in the area of law in question.

It is strongly recommended that you address all four of the above criteria in your application.

Students must submit a separate application form for each competition for which the wish to be considered.

Sir Harry Gibbs Constitutional Law Moot

The Sir Harry Gibbs Constitutional Law Moot (Gibbs Moot) is one of the most prestigious mooting competitions run in Australia, and is hosted by the Melbourne University Law Students’ Society, the Australian Association of Constitutional Law and the Australian Government Solicitor.

At this stage, the moot is due to take place online. The moot will take place from 8 - 10 October 2020. The question will be released in the coming weeks.

The problem question will be released 2-3 months before the beginning of the moot. Please note that the moot involves a high degree of academic rigour, and participants generally commit hundreds of hours to preparing for the moot in the months leading up to the event.

In order to be eligible to participate in the Gibbs Moot, you must have completed both Public Law and Constitutional Law by the end of Semester 1 2020.

Three places are available on the Blackstone Gibbs Moot team in 2020.

For further information, please visit http://mulss.com/competitions/sir-anthony-gibbs-constitutional-law-moot/

Alfred Deakin International Commercial Arbitration Moot

This competition is focused on international commercial law and arbitration.

The moot will be run virtually via Zoom from 9 - 10 September.

The problem question will be released on 1 July, and successful applicants will be expected to prepare intensively from that point onward.

Three places are available on the Blackstone Deakin Moot team in 2020.

For further information, please visit https://www.deakin.edu.au/law/study-opportunities/alfred-deakin-ica-moot

Applications close at 5pm on Friday 19 June 2020

Please complete the form below

Please make sure to carefully read the information above before applying. If you would like to apply for both competitions, please complete two separate application forms.

Name

Student Email Address

Phone Number

Which year of the JD are you in?

Which competition would you like to participate in?

Why would you like to participate in this moot, and the mooting program more broadly, this year?

Please outline any past mooting, competition, or public speaking experience:

Please describe any other experience that you believe is relevant to your application:

This may include your work experience, academic performance, or any other information that may be useful when we consider your application.

Which units will you be undertaking during Semester 2?

Please describe your availability in the lead up to the competition

How much time per week do you expect you will be able to commit to this competition? How many days per week will you be working? What are your existing commitments during the months leading up to the competition?

If you have any questions, please email president@blackstone.asn.au