Ben Teo and Alex Zolatarsky, Directors of Competitions
There will be a point during the life of every law student where they stop to ask themselves why they have voluntarily chosen to be subject to abuse on a daily basis. Research(1) shows that this point is likely to be somewhere on page 3 of the Mabo [No. 2] judgment for 1st year students and Louth v Diprose for later years. It is then common for students to ask why they haven't been taught to scream "Objection!" with perfect tonal inflections and address anyone as "Your honour". The closest the typical law student ever gets to experiencing the practical aspect of their degree is when they're asked to "Advise Joe" at the bottom of a hypothetical.
This is where the LSS steps in to provide students with a taste of what it's like to be a practicing lawyer through running competitions designed to emulate the various elements of handling a case:
Client Interview This competition tests your ability to proficiently interview a client; asking the right questions to ascertain all the relevant facts, what the client wants, whether their issue is actionable and how to proceed. Easy, non-adversarial and no preparation required.
Letter of Advice Following the interview process, you will need to give written advice to your client on their case, including any obstacles they may face and their chance of success. Letter of Advice fosters in you the essential skill of adept written communication.
Negotiation Many cases do not go to trial and are settled beforehand. Negotiation tests and hones your ability to bargain. The objective is to reach a settlement that maximises the interests of your client, within the ethical bounds of the law and the code of conduct for lawyers.
Witness Examination This is what courtroom drama TV is all about. Given a factual scenario your objective is to get the court to believe your witness' version of the events and discredit the opposition's. This competition gives you the chance to yell 'objection!' (even if you do not truly have one, just to throw your opposition off their rhythm); catch out witnesses on their mistakes, shredding their credibility to pieces; and the off-chance to conclude with "Denny Crane".
Mooting Mooting is the competition that tests your ability to present and argue your legal issue the way you have been taught in class: on strong precedents, statutes and anything else you can muster that has authority. If you enjoy oration, are a quick thinker, and can speak eloquently then you should give mooting a go. Excellent preparation for all future barristers.
Paper and Oral Presentation Looking to show off that essay you wrote last year? Perhaps you feel a little hard done by your marker and are seeking redemption of some sort? If you fall within either category, Paper and Oral is the perfect competition for you. Participants have the opportunity of demonstrating their written and oral communication skills through presenting a piece of written assessment from a law subject before a panel of academics.
Apart from gaining practical legal skills (and bragging rights), participation in LSS competitions help students set themselves apart from the pack when it comes time to apply for seasonals. For more details and information about each competition, be on the lookout for the LSS Competitions Guidebook 2008 which will be released early in the year at its very own launch party.
