海角社区

海角社区.CA / Student Affairs Office / BCL/JD Studies / Clinical Legal Education

Competitive Mooting

On this page:
Program Overview
Objectives
Program
Structure & Support
Selection Criteria: Competitive Mooting
Expectations
Funding & Special Notes
Contact

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Mooting Program at 海角社区鈥檚 Faculty of Law is designed to bridge the gap between theoretical legal studies and practical lawyering skills. It is an integral part of the Clinical Legal Education curriculum and encompasses both competitive and non-competitive mooting activities.

The program aims to provide students with opportunities to develop their advocacy skills, legal research capabilities, and courtroom etiquette by simulating real-world legal proceedings such as mock trials and appellate arguments.

Students are provided with opportunities to cultivate these skills starting in 1L, through various courses including the Integration Workshop (in 1L) and Advocacy (in 2L), as well as some external opportunities. Starting in their third year, selected students may represent the Faculty at Canadian and international mooting competitions. Competitive mooting is demanding, but exciting and rewarding, offering students the chance to develop advocacy skills and present a case before experienced judges.

OBJECTIVES

The Mooting Program aids Law students in the pursuit of several pedagogical听objectives, including the following:听

  • Development of legal research proficiency:听Fosters the ability to conduct thorough and efficient legal research听in various areas of the law and across legal traditions.听
  • Strengthen analytical thinking:听Enhances critical听and听analytical听thinking听through听the application of legal听principles听to听complex听factual听scenarios.听
  • Enhancement of听 advocacy skills: Improves students鈥� ability to present oral arguments and written submissions persuasively.听
  • Improvement of skills in public speaking:听Builds confidence and听competence听in public听speaking.听
  • Cultivating professionalism:听Instill听professional听behaviour,听including听courtroom听etiquette,听ethical听considerations, and听adherence听to听procedural听rules, as听well听as the听ability听to听work听in听teams.听

Program Opportunities听

The Mooting program consists of听various course-based听or听non-course听opportunities.听

Course-based Opportunities听

1L Integration听Workshop听(LAWG 110)听听

Integration Workshop (LAWG 110D1/D2), a full-year mandatory course, provides an introduction to听law and legal studies that complements the other first-year courses using transversal and integrative approaches, , and is the very first exposure of students to advocacy and mooting is in their first-year.听Beyond the substantive content, it is听structured to provide students with opportunities to cultivate advocacy skills starting in their first year.听

  • Current Instructor: Prof. Rosalie Jukier

  • Term: Full-Year (Fall & Winter)听

  • Current Course Description: The workshop aims to help students practice and reflect on different methods of legal research, analysis, and writing. Through plenary lectures and small group sessions led by upper-year Tutorial Leaders, students will learn about various forms and styles of legal reasoning and writing across multiple legal traditions, disciplines, and perspectives. By practicing legal writing through assignments like a case brief, legal memorandum, and factum, students will start developing their own analytical and writing styles as future legal professionals. They will also learn how to consider legal traditions, context, audience, objectives, strategy, and problem-solving in their writing.
    听
    By practicing legal writing through assignments like a case brief, legal memorandum, and factum, students will start developing their own analytical and writing styles as future legal professionals. They听will also learn how to consider legal traditions, context, audience,听objectives, strategy, and problem-solving in their writing.听

  • Current Method of Evaluation (MOE): The course is evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete three written assignments (a case brief, a legal memo, and a factum) in addition to participating in other in-class exercises.

  • 饾棢饾棽饾椈饾棸饾槆饾椈饾棽饾椏 饾棪饾椆饾棶饾棿饾椀饾榿 饾棧饾椏饾椂饾槆饾棽 饾棾饾椉饾椏 饾棦饾槀饾榿饾榾饾榿饾棶饾椈饾棻饾椂饾椈饾棿 饾棧饾棽饾椏饾棾饾椉饾椏饾椇饾棶饾椈饾棸饾棽 饾椂饾椈 饾棢饾棽饾棿饾棶饾椆 饾棯饾椏饾椂饾榿饾椂饾椈饾棿, which recognizes the students who submit the best legal memos in our 1L Integration Workshop course.

The details of the course may vary depending on the year and instructor.

2L听Advocacy听Course听(PRAC 200)听

The purpose of Advocacy, a mandatory second-year course, is to introduce students to legal advocacy, both oral and written, and to give them an opportunity to practice their legal advocacy skills in a range of settings.

The course typically begins with a short introduction on the nature and purpose of legal advocacy, after which it explores some of its most frequent expressions in civil and commercial litigation: demand letters, statements of claim, mediation sessions, and oral advocacy before a trial court or tribunal.

This course is taught over eight weeks in the Fall alternates between plenary lectures (4) and small tutorial groups (4). Each tutorial section is led by an upper-year tutorial leader (鈥淭L鈥�). The sections meet in person at different times of the week.

While the course details may vary depending on the year and instructor, they are currently as follows:听

  • Current Instructor: Me Bogdan-Alexandru (Alex) Dobrota (Woods LLP)听

  • Term: Fall

Objectives:听By the end of听the听course,听students听should听be听able to:听听

  • Explain the nature, purpose, and forms of legal advocacy;听听

  • Critically reflect on what makes a good advocate;听听

  • Identify听relevant information to communicate effectively as an advocate; and听

  • Present听that听information听persuasively听in听different听contexts,听both听orally听and in听writing.听听

  • Format:听This course听is听taught听over听eight听weeks听in the听Fall.听It听alternates听between听plenary听lectures听(4)听and听small听tutorial groups听(4).听Each听tutorial听section听is听led by an upper-year tutorial leader (鈥淭L鈥�). The sections meet in person at听different times听of the week.听Students听are expected to attend each one of听the听four tutorial sessions and to prepare adequately by doing the preliminary work that has been assigned.听

  • Evaluation:听The course is evaluated on a听Pass/Fail听basis.听To pass,听students听must successfully complete both the attendance and coursework requirements. Attendance and coursework will be assessed in a proportion of 50 % - 50 %, as follows:听

  1. Attendance听Requirement:听Students听must miss no more than one and a half (1.5) hours of tutorial sessions,听unless absences are excused.听Students who miss more than 1.5 hours are asked to complete a supplemental written assignment.听听

  2. 听Coursework听Requirement:听There听are听four assignments, all evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. To pass the coursework requirement (and the course),听students听must pass each assignment.听Students who听fail one of the assignments听are听asked to complete a supplemental written assignment.听

Competitive Moot Program Try-Outs in Advocacy

Since the 2024-2025 academic year, results of the Advocacy course pleading exercise听take the place of mooting try-outs, the score of which is used as a selection criteria for the Competitive Mooting Program.

More specifically, students prepare a short oral pleading based on a fact pattern provided by the instructor, and then plead before a judge (often a practitioner or a teaching member of the Faculty of Law). Each student receives a grade out of 20, which they is included as part of their application to the Competitive Mooting Program.

Spirit of the Moot Award听 (Woods LLP)听

The top two performing students from each group are selected for the Spirit of the Moot Award.听While this award does not guarantee a spot in the Competitive Mooting Program, it does provide a significant advantage in the selection process. This award and its consideration as part of the competitive moot selection process also helps offset any differences between judges鈥� grading standards in the context of the Advocacy pleading exercise.

Upper-Year Courses (PROC 459 鈥� Civil Litigation Workshop /听PUB 420 鈥� Trial Advocacy)听

Typically听offered once a year听by experienced practitioners听to a limited number of students (in a seminar format), these two courses provide students with听additional听experience听practicing听their advocacy skills听through mooting exercises, albeit not in a competitive context.听

  • The听Civil Litigation Workshop听is a听workshop on specialized problems in civil litigation and evidence, which involves听preparing and managing听a civil case,听experiencing听the conduct of discovery proceedings,听producing the听materials to be used at trial, and听engaging in a mock trial experience, often before a judge of the Superior Court of Qu茅bec.听This course may be of interest to students who are contemplating a litigation career, especially at first instance, as the course covers the phase of trial preparation which is typically not a part of competitive moots where most of the work focuses on legal arguments.听

  • Trial Advocacy听provides a similar experience, albeit often focused on criminal and statutory law, and on the specific phase of examinations and cross-examinations.听The course aims to teach the basic techniques of examination of witnesses听in the context of a series of simulated trials. The emphasis is on active participation and on practical exercises in the basic problem areas: the unfolding of the narrative; the use of suggestive questions and the aide-m茅moire; cross-examination and contradiction with prior written and oral statements; the production of exhibits and documentary proof.听

The exact content and nature of these courses may vary from year to year, depending on the instructor.听

3L & 4L听External Mooting Competitions听(Competitive听Mooting Program)听听

The primary competitive mooting opportunities are available to students in their听third and fourth year.听Selection听into the program is competitive (as discussed further below).听听

Competitive moots are open to students听who have completed two years of the program and who are interested in analyzing and researching complex legal problems, developing听arguments听and advocacy skills.听A minimum CGPA of 2.7 is听required, although most听students who are selected will have a higher CGPA.听

Select moots have听additional听prerequisites:听

  • For the鈥疛essup International Law Moot:鈥疨UB2 105 Public International Law鈥痠s听required.听

  • For the鈥疜awaskimhon听Aboriginal Moot: preference will be given to Indigenous students (please听indicate听this in your CV). If you are only interested in this moot, you need not try out, but you should听submit听a letter of intent c/o the SAO.听

  • Julius Alexander Isaac Diversity Moot听

Participation in a competitive moot听gives听three credits听during the Winter semester,听although work may be听required听throughout the academic year. Students may request to register for the three (3) credits in the Fall semester by contacting the SAO.听

List of Moots 2025/2026

The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition听 (Prof. Frederic Megret & Marina Saporito JD) Le Concours de plaidoirie听Pierre-Basile听 Mignault (Ma卯tre Camille Duguay &听Ma卯tre听脡liane Dup茅r茅-Tremblay)
Davies Corporate/Securities Law Moot (Ma卯tre Graham Splawski听&听Ma卯tre Natalia Paunic) Cup Guy- Gu茅rin- The Sopinka Cup (Ma卯tre Philippe Knerr & Ma卯tre Claude Berlinguette-Auger)
Gale Cup Moot (Ma卯tre Clara Daviault &听Ma卯tre Lauren Dahan) Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (Ma卯tre听Claudette van Zyl & Ma卯tre Joshua Crowe)
Julius Alexander听Isaac Diversity Moot (Ma卯tre Bianca Marcelin听&听听Ma卯tre Marie-Laure Saliah-Linteau) Warren K. Winkler Class Action Moot (Ma卯tre Ariane Boyer &听Ma卯tre Lex Gill)
Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot (Ma卯tre Caroline Briand听&听Ma卯tre David Janzen) Adam F. Fanaki Competition Law Moot (Ma卯tre Charles听Dingley听e &听Ma卯tre Ines Bagaoui)
Laskin Moot (Ma卯tre Michelle Kellam听&听听Ma卯tre Amelia Couture) Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Law Moot (Ma卯tre St茅phane Duval & Ma卯tre Mariame Tour茅)
Concours Charles-Rousseau (Ma卯tre听Dayeon Min and Yuri Alexander Roma帽a Rivas DCL candidate) Oxford International Intellectual Property Law Moot (Ma卯tre Fortunat Nadima)听
Le Concours de plaidoirie Michel Bastarache (Ma卯tre Marc Andre Roy &听Ma卯tre Pierre Lermusieaux) Wilson Moot (Ma卯tre Meaghan Daniel &听Ma卯tre Molly Krishtalka)
Wilms & Shier Environmental Moot (Ma卯tre Erin Reimer &听Ma卯tre Caroline Belair) Canadian National Negotiation Competition (Ma卯tre听Michael Luba &听Ma卯tre Aleksander Godlewski )

The final list of updated offerings will be available on the SAO鈥檚 application form.听

Independent Moots听

Students may听participate听in mooting opportunities outside of the officially selected teams. No application is听required, and students form their own teams, but these cannot be for moots where 海角社区 sends an official team. Students must still meet the eligibility criteria. Students听are responsible for听recruiting coaches and funding expenses, potentially through fundraising and EEO. More information is provided听annually听after the official program moots are announced.听

Other Advocacy Opportunities听

While not formally integrated as part of our mooting program, other听parts of the 海角社区 curriculum or extra-curricular activities may听provide听further opportunities to develop advocacy skills. For instance, the following opportunities are open to听all students:听

  • The听Centre for Human Rights and听Legal听Pluralism (CHRLP)听offers听summer internship听opportunities, some of which involve a strong advocacy听component.听The internship is credited (3 credits) and is followed by a 3-credit, paper-based course.听See听/humanrights/clinical/internships.听

  • The听Legal Information Clinic听at 海角社区听(LICM)听offers听both volunteer and credited advocacy听opportunities, including the student advocacy program which allows law students to听represent听other students within the University鈥檚 disciplinary and academic processes.听See听.听

  • The听Canadian National Negotiation Competition听(CNNC) is a听1-credit mooting opportunity听which is less competitive than others and is open to first-year students.听See听.听

SELECTION CRITERIA:听Competitive Mooting听听

The SAO organizes an Information session each听Winter, and听determines听the application deadline, which usually falls around February. The final听selection听is usually announced in April.听

Students听apply听through the form prepared by the SAO.听They听are听individually given听a score of 15听based on the following听criteria:听

  • CGPA听

  • 2L Advocacy score听听

  • Academic听experience听(CV + Transcript)听

  • Non-academic听experience (CV)听

Students are ranked,听and听the number of students selected depends on the moots and听the number听of team听members听for each moot.听

Students听who听are听selected from the ranking听will be notified and听asked to rank their moot preference. Based on their听selection,听students will be placed in teams.听听

  • For moots such as the Julius Isaac Diversity Moot and the听Kawaskimhon听Moot,听priority听is given to BIPOC听students.听

  • Some moots have prerequisite or co-requisite courses. An updated list can be found on the SAO MyCourses page .听If selected,听students may be asked to take听co-requisite courses听for their moot.

听

STRUCTURE & SUPPORT听听

The听different parts听of the mooting program are structured as follows and benefit from the support of the following faculty, staff members, and alumni:听

  • Integration Workshop,听Advocacy Course, and Upper-Year Courses:听
    The Integration Workshop,听the Advocacy course, and other advocacy-related courses听are for-credit courses taught by professors听or听instructors.听Currently,听Prof. Rosalie Jukier听is听teaching the Integration Workshop and听Mtre听Bogdan-Alexandru (Alex)听Dobrota听is teaching the Advocacy course.听

  • Competitive Mooting听Program:听
    Competitive mooting falls under the category of for-credit, non-course elective programming.听听听
    Each moot is directly supported by听coaches, who are practitioners and often alumni of our program.听4L students who听participated听in a moot during their 3L year are encouraged to return as听mentors.听听
    Some moots also听benefit听from the support of a听dedicated faculty advisor. In 2025-2026, the听faculty听advisors were as follows:听

  • Kawaskimhon听Aboriginal moot:听Prof.听Kerry听Sloan听

  • Manfred Lachs:听Prof.听Andrea听Harrington听

  • Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot:听Prof.听Catherine听Walsh听

The selection of participants,听as well as the support provided to students, coaches, and faculty members involved,听is coordinated collaboratively by the听Competitive听Mooting听Program Advisor, Prof.听J茅r茅my听Boulanger-Bonnelly听and members of the Student Affairs Office (SAO).听The advisor also provides the following support:听

  • Mentorship:听While听coaches serve as the primary source of mentorship in this program,听and the Faculty Advisor's role is not to overrule decisions听regarding听pleading or factum preparation, he can听provide听additional advice as needed.听

  • Feedback on Factums: Provide constructive feedback on factums in addition to the input from coaches, where teams and coaches believe that听additional听feedback is needed.听

  • Pleading Feedback: Offer feedback at some practice sessions to help students improve their pleading skills, where teams and coaches believe that听additional听feedback is needed.听

  • Resource Provision: Share resources via MyCourses to听assist听students in their preparation for moots (if you have ideas听regarding听which resources could be helpful to you and your teams, feel free to share your suggestions with the Faculty Advisor).听

  • Conflict Resolution: Mediate any inter-team issues that may arise during the moot preparation process (without overstepping on the coaches鈥� role).听

FUNDING & SPECIAL NOTES

Participating in moots involves several expenses, including听a participation fee (per team), as well as travel and accommodation expenses when moots are held outside of Montreal. While the Faculty endeavours to support听all of听its official mooting teams, it cannot guarantee that funding will cover all expenses, and students should expect to engage in fundraising efforts.听

Some dedicated funding has been听established听by the听Faculty听and generous donors to support the participation of students in mooting competitions:听

  • Participation in the听Concours Pierre-Basile-Mignault听is funded, in part,听by the Wainwright Committee. Universities take turns hosting this civil law-focused moot. When it is 海角社区鈥檚 turn to host, the听Cr茅peau Centre听leads the coordination efforts on behalf of the Faculty of Law.听The听Faculty听will host the moot in听2027.听

  • Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot听is funded by [insert funding source here].听

  • The John G. Ahern, QC Memorial Mooting Fund听was established in 1979 by the law firm Ahern, Nuss &听Drymer, in memory of its distinguished founder (BCL 1918), who served as听B芒tonnier听of both the Bar of Montreal and the Bar of Quebec (1955鈥�56) and was a highly respected advocate throughout his career.听

  • The S. Leon Mendelsohn Mooting Fund听was created by the partners of Mendelsohn in honour of their esteemed founder (BCL 1924).听

  • The Richard and Hilda Golick Mooting Sponsorship,听established听in 1994 and funded by听proceeds听from the "Law and You" seminars, provides financial听assistance听to students听participating听in competitive mooting.听

  • The McCarthy T茅trault Foundation听made a donation听to the听Faculty听in support of competitive mooting.听

  • The Robinson Sheppard Shapiro 90th Anniversary Fund听supports mooting competitions at the听Faculty.听

FACULTY CONTACTS听

brittany.williams [at] mcgill.ca (Brittany Williams ), Assistant Dean & Deans Lead, Black & Indigenous Flourishing , New Chancellor Day Hall.

jeremy.boulanger-bonnelly [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. J茅r茅my Boulanger-Bonnelly), Assistant Professor & Faculty Advisor to the Competitive Mooting Program, New Chancellor Day Hall.

leyla.suleiman [at] mcgill.ca (Leyla Suleiman), Student Affairs Consultant & Competitive Mooting Program Coordinator,听New Chancellor Day Hall.

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