Anecdotes and advice from a mooter and Moot Court Committee executive
My first moot tryout was a complete disaster. I thought I was prepared, but I blanked out and never got through my opening statements. Funnily enough, I still made it to the second round, only to be cut at the very end. I was disappointed but not surprised. The Moot Court Committee made the right call.
Despite all that, I enjoyed my tryout experience enough to try again this year. This time, I made it past my opening statement and bravely engaged with the panelists. They later called me to let me know that I earned a spot on a competitive moot. I was elated.
When I learned that Ultra Vires was doing a moot-related article, I jumped at the opportunity to share some tips and tricks— especially since 1L students will soon be participating in their own moot tryouts. Olivia Schenk (3L), a Moot Court Committee executive, kindly offered to share some insider tips. Schenk participated in the 1L Stewart Cup, 1L trial advocacy, and Competition Law Moot. She is currently enrolled in the Arnup Cup Competition.
This year, the Moot Court Committee is organizing the Baby Gale/Cassels Brock Cup and the Stewart Cup. For those who are still on the fence, mooting can be a very formative and eye-opening experience. The Stewart Cup taught Schenk to love mooting. The experience also taught her that advocacy is not about “winning,” but rather about helping the judge better understand the parties’ positions so that justice can be served.
For those still interested in getting mooting experience, other moots unaffiliated with the Moot Court Committee are available. These include the Hicks Morley Moot Competition, Baby Hockey Arbitration Competition of Canada (Baby HACC), 1L Competition Law Moot, and 1L trial advocacy.
Having participated in the Hicks Morley Moot Competition myself, I get the sense that students who are interested in participating in a highly rewarding yet low-stakes mooting experience would enjoy it. Not only will you be able to develop your advocacy skills, but you will also meet incredible labour and employment lawyers from the firm.
Schenk found 1L trial advocacy very different from appellate level mooting. Conducting direct and cross examination at the trial level differed significantly from advancing arguments grounded in case law at the appellate level. All things considered, however, she found that her 1L mooting experiences eventually led to her first win in the Competition Law Moot with her mooting partner, Jon Herlin. Though she admits that it was at times scary to moot in front of real judges in a real court room, she found the moot very fulfilling. Schenk continues to leverage her experience as the Arnup Cup Competition unfolds.
Advice From a Moot Court Committee
I asked Schenk for any advice she has for prospective mooters. She shares her responses below:
Schenk:
- “Connect with an upper year student with moot experience and ask them about their techniques for mooting. Even better, chat with a couple people to find strategies that vibe with you.”
- “Participate in 1L moots for practice and to get a real feel if competitive mooting is for you!”
- “Watch grand moot videos to get a better understanding of what moots look like!”
- “Don’t let the tryout process stress you out! It’s low stakes! Worst case scenario you participate in the upper year moot class. If you really want to do a competitive upper year moot, you should try out for the Upper Year Moot Committee in 2L. That way if you’re not ready and don’t make tryouts, you’ll have another swing at bat in 3L!”
Edited for readability purposes.
Advice from a Mooter
My advice for prospective mooters is simple: provided you have done the necessary prep, speak slowly and remain calm. As simple as it sounds, speaking slowly and remaining calm made the difference between how I performed in my 1L and 2L tryouts. I found that speaking at an almost unnaturally slow pace prevented my thoughts from scattering.
Final Thoughts
Moot tryouts can be intimidating, but they are also valuable practice opportunities. If you’re a 1L preparing for your first tryout, know that you have it in you. And if you do not succeed on your first try, do not be discouraged. Take the lessons you have learned and come back even stronger. Best of luck!