External Competitions
The Melbourne University Law Students’ Society (MULSS) offers students a chance to gain further experience by competing in external competitions in Melbourne, interstate, and overseas. External competitions are a great chance to compete against and meet students from other top law schools. The MULSS will cover teams’ registration costs for approved events. Unless otherwise specified, teams will be required to pay for their own flights, accommodation, and other associated expenses.
If you have any queries, please email the External Competitions Directors, Samuel Smith and Dean Roff, at externalcompetitions@mulss.com. Calls for applications for the competitions will be announced on the MULSS Competitions Facebook page (for MLS students only) and on this webpage.
This page will continued to be updated with new competitions and as more information becomes available.
Competitions in 2024
The Hague Inter-University Law Debate Tournament 2024
Melbourne Law School is pleased to once again compete in The Hague Inter-University Law Debate Tournament after previously placing 11th and 13th respectively.
This annual international debating competition hosted by the Corax Foundation focuses on public and private international law with students competing in teams of 2 or 3.
The first 3 matches were in February and March 2024. The final matches are in April to June.
The Melbourne Law School team has already competed in the following rounds:
Luarasi University (Albania) vs University of Melbourne
Topic: International Trade and Protection of Intellectual Property
University of Melbourne vs Prince Sultan University (Saudi Arabia)
Topic: Technology and Cyberspace
Congratulations to Alexander Siourthas, Oscar Calvert, and Mitch Dow who are representing the Melbourne Law School this year. Thank you to Wayne Jocic for coaching the team.
SULS v MULSS Public International Law Moot
This is a new initiative this year between the Melbourne University Law Students’ Society (MULSS) and Sydney University Law Society (SULS). Public international law is popular amongst law students from both universities and this competition caters to aspiring international lawyers.
This competition is only open to JD students from the University of Melbourne and law students from the University of Sydney.
Grand Final – Saturday, 27 April 2024
MLS students are welcome to watch the competition from the Moot Court on the day. The moot starts at 3pm, so please arrive by 2:55pm.
If you have any questions, please email externalcompetitions@mulss.com.
Congratulations to Joseph Zivny, Fiona Xia, and Felix Geake-Ransome who are representing the Melbourne Law School.
The MLS Parliamentary Debate is a new initiative this year. With a large number of law students having studied, worked in, or being interested in politics, the competition provides a forum for students to debate important legal and legal-related topics in a parliamentary debate format.
The Grand Final was held in the Legislative Council chamber at Parliament House, Melbourne.
Congratulations to Judith Vu and Vi Hu from the University of Melbourne for winning the competition! Congratulations also to the runners-up, Alexander Xing and Joel Law from Monash University. Special mention to Vi and Alexander for being the Best Speakers in the Grand Final and Semi Final, respectively.
MLS Parliamentary Debate
The College of Law Essay Competition
The MLS Essay Competition returns this year proudly sponsored by The College of Law. Students will be invited to submit an essay of between 1,000 and 1,500 words (word count to be confirmed) on a topic to be advised. The students who produce the best two essays will receive cash prizes.
LLB and JD students from all Australian universities are welcome to apply using the registration link below (once registration opens). There is no limit to the number of students who may apply (TBC) but only one submission will be accepted per student.
Format: Online
Registration fee (per student): TBC
Prize for first place: TBC
Prize for runner-up: TBC
Registration Opens – Monday, 24 June 2024
Registration Closes – Monday, 8 July 2024
Topic Released – Monday, 15 July 2024
Submissions Due – Friday, 16 August 2024
Winners Announced – Friday, 30 August 2024
If you have any questions, please email externalcompetitions@mulss.com.
Proudly Sponsored By
Sir Harry Gibbs Constitutional Law Moot
Information about the Sir Harry Gibbs Constitutional Law Moot can be found here.
FAQs
How do I register?
When registration opens, links to the relevant forms will be made available and posted to the ‘MULSS Competitions’ Facebook page and on this website. The link for the MULSS Competitions page is here.
What are the application criteria?
Each competition has a unique set of criteria which will be detailed when registration opens. You should include any experience which may be relevant, for example, volunteering, research, journal positions, public speaking, debating, etc.
Do I have to sign up as a team?
Except for the MLS Essay Competition (and where otherwise stated), yes, team sign-up is required for all external competitions. If you’re keen to participate but don’t have a team, each competition will (generally) have a team-matching process during the registration period. However, this does not guarantee selection.
Is prior experience required to apply?
With the exception of the Sir Harry Gibbs Constitutional Law Moot (which requires MLS JD students to have completed LAWS50028 Constitutional Law) and unless otherwise stated, all JD students (of all year levels) are able to apply to compete on behalf of Melbourne Law School in external competitions. Please note, however, that eligibility to apply does not guarantee selection.
How are teams selected?
As most external competitions only permit one (1) or two (2) teams per university to compete, where the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, a competitive selection process will be run jointly by the MULSS and Melbourne Law School faculty representatives. Students will be selected based on their academic, professional, and/or competition experience. Students will be afforded the opportunity in their applications to outline their experience and provide a statement about why they have applied to the competition and what they hope to achieve by competing. We encourage all interested students to apply!
Do I need to be a JD student to apply?
For all MULSS-hosted external competitions, students from Melbourne Law School (MLS) must be studying the Juris Doctor (JD) (unless otherwise stated). For externally-run external competitions, Melbourne Law Masters (MLM) students will only be permitted to compete if the competition organisers permit MLM students to participate.
Previous Competitions
HSF International Computational Law e-Mooting Competition
This international mooting competition focused on the principles and significance of computational law, including: artificial intelligence; automation of trust; data governance; privacy protection; accountability of algorithms; and blockchain. It was conducted entirely online. This competition aimed to develop professional skills in written and oral advocacy, including addressing some of the particular challenges that arise when using video conferencing technology in the courtroom and in international arbitration. Participants gained a deeper appreciation of the professional and substantive issues raised by disruptive technologies and the application of foreign law. Most importantly, this competition fostered team work, collaboration and the application of both substantive and procedural law in a practice-authentic context.
For further info: https://law.anu.edu.au/news-and-events/news/how-e-mooting-ushering-new-age-legal-education
UTS Intervarsity Negotiations
With seven universities and 13 teams participating across Australia, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Intervarsity Negotiation is the largest intervarsity competition hosted by the UTS Law School Society.
This prestigious competition was held over the weekend of 15-16 May 2021. We took registration for two teams. Teams were permitted to have 2–3 participants. The competition took place over Zoom.
Congratulations to Cheuk (Phillip) Chan, Difan (Christina) Li, Sunny Shan and Tina Meng who represented the Melbourne Law School.
UNSW IV Skills Intervarsity Negotiations Competition
This negotiation competition used a lawyer/client format. Each team consisted of one lawyer and one client.
The competition consisted of three preliminary rounds, with the highest-scoring teams progressing to the semi-finals and finals.
We took registrations for two teams comprising of two students per team. The competition was held in an online format on 4-5 September 2021.
Gilbert + Tobin Deals Competition
Run in collaboration with Gilbert + Tobin, the Intervarsity Deals Competition aimed to give law students in teams of 2-3, the opportunity to learn about practicing competition law through giving advice to a hypothetical digital platform client on a potential acquisition and associated competition law risks. Hosted by Australia’s leading Competition + Regulation practice group, this competition offered a great opportunity to develop and sharpen your drafting and interpersonal skills while getting some real-life experience as a competition lawyer!
The competition involved 4 rounds from late April to late May with the top teams from each round progressing to the next. Rounds 2 & 4 were held at the Gilbert + Tobin Melbourne offices.
Congratulations to Tapiwa Bururu, Stuart Neil and Zhichao Ma who won the Competition in 2021 against LaTrobe University.
Danny Gilbert (Gilbert + Tobin), Simon Muys (Gilbert + Tobin), Stuart Neil (MLS), Zhichao Ma (MLS) and Susan Jones (Gilbert + Tobin)
MLS Team at the Gilbert + Tobin Deals Competition (Tapiwa Bururu participated remotely).
TMLS Migration, Citizenship and Refugee Law Moot
The purpose of this moot was to provide law students with the opportunity to hone their research and advocacy skills while becoming more familiar with the contemporary legal issues that surround migration law. The Moot was presented as an appeal to the Federal Court of Australia from hypothetical decision of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
The competition took place on 12-13 August. The competition went ahead in person, subject to COVID-19 restrictions.
Being in its formative stages, we took registration for one team of 2-3 students.
UNSW Private Law Moot
The UNSW Private Law Moot was run virtually on Saturday 22 May – Monday 24 May 2021.
The UNSW Private Law Moot is a prestigious intervarsity mooting competition, bringing together some of the best mooters from Australia and around the world to compete at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.
The moot focuses specifically on private law and commercial topics. Competitors have the opportunity to demonstrate commerciality and a deep interest in private law. Previous problem questions have covered equity and trusts, corporations law and contracts.
Congratulations to Sam Hannah, Ella White, Galen Maxwell and Mark Salamy who represented MLS in 2021! The team was coached by Jason Varuhas.
The Hon Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot
This moot aims to ensure its authenticity and relevance to students’ learning, the moot problem is designed to closely resemble a real-life dispute and the moot judges are mainly practitioners. It is hoped that students who avail themselves of this opportunity will further develop fundamental lawyering skills including problem-solving, legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, factual investigation, communication (oral and written), organisation, management and teamwork. Ultimately, these skills will better equip all law graduates for further study and for their future careers.
Preference was given to applicants who had achieved strong results in Contracts. The team was mentored by academic staff. Up to four students were selected.
Deakin University Commercial Arbitration Moot
This competition focuses on the Convention of the International Sale of Goods (‘CISG’). Arbitration is a key dispute resolution mechanism for resolving international commercial disputes, with legal practitioners specialised in this field being highly sought after. Participants are required to seek resolution to a fictitious problem in a simulated virtual courtroom setting. Each team competes in two rounds on day one, once as claimant and once as respondent. The semi-final and grand final takes place on day two.
This moot presents a great opportunity for students interested in international arbitration, particularly since MLS does not participate in the Vis Moot. The rounds will be judged by legal practitioners who have competed in the Vis Moot or similar.
Congratulations to MLS students Grace Dickinson, Madelaine Pittle, and Lachlan Helme-King who advanced to the semi-finals in 2020. Further congratulations must go to Grace Dickinson who won Best Speaker for the Competition.
Baker McKenzie National Women’s Moot (UNSW, Sydney)
The Baker & McKenzie National Intervarsity Women’s Mooting Tournament is aimed at addressing the equity issues facing women at the bar and is the only national moot in which all competitors must be female. The Competition attracts universities from around Australia and provides an opportunity for female law students to gain advocacy experience and network with female practitioners.
The Competition was held in person at the University of Sydney Camperdown campus, subject to COVID-19 restrictions. The Competition was held from the 25-29th of September, with registrations closing on the 6th of August.
Congratulations to both teams who represented MLS in 2020: Aalishna Alag, Estelle Morrissey, and Annie Tran; Joanna Gu, Chitban Sahni, and Shruti Sudarsan.
AAT Moot
This competition saw teams of two compete over five rounds held fortnightly in Semester 2 on the subject of administrative law and merits review.
The competition consists of five rounds in total with each team participating in the first two rounds.
The Grand Final will be held in late October 2021 and will be adjudicated by a panel of three adjudicators, including the President of the AAT.
For more information: https://www.aat.gov.au/…/2021-national-mooting-competition
Congratulations to Vanessa Wilson, Chloe Smith and Calin Miles who represented the Melbourne Law School in 2021.
Congratulations to Brendan McGing, Annie Jiang and Tina Yao who represented MLS in 2020.
ANU Indigenous Law Reform and Advocacy Competition
The Inaugural Indigenous Law Reform and Advocacy Competition is hosted online by ANU, with this year’s theme being Black Lives Matter. Competitors must submit a 5 to 10 minute video clip addressing a question relating to law reform.
Congratulations to Jesse Loudovaris, Malaika Khattak, Marian Liwanen, Matthew Healy, Milan Kantor and Nicholas Ong who produced this video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lwoAaPaUvKEldea7gl8jEG_DKUkDO2rQ/view?fbclid=IwAR1PUDxXn-x8Fo31NOzHefz-97Ggn9ZcHTzBpiEyBmZJXL2mlquWbmReNL0
ANU Gender Identity + Sexuality Law Moot
This Intervarsity Moot was the first of its kind and open to New Zealand and Australian law schools. The competition will ran online in October 2020. His Honour Justice Michael Kirby AC, CMG was one of the judges for the final of the moot. The final was held on 13 October, 2020.
The problem question will focused on the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) and the tort of privacy.
Congratulations to Kevin Sebastian, Phoebe Scott and Sharmera Kevasan who are currently representing MLS in 2020 and have advanced to the Grand Final. Special mention to Kevin Sebastian who was awarded Best Advocate.
