Becoming a good lawyer means possessing the perfect blend of analytical, linguistic and emotional skills. Practicing law proficiently cannot be possible without mastering the skill of presentation. Prowess at presenting can come only with sufficient practice. This is where the need for moot courts came from. A moot court is a simulated appellate court where a mock trial occurs. Participating in moot courts gives students the desired experience they require to hone their skills. With this consideration, Symbiosis Law School (SLS), one of the best law colleges in Hyderabad established a Moot Court Association for their students.
The term ‘moot’ originates from Anglo- Saxon times, when a moot referred to an assembly of eminent men of a locality who discussed matters of importance of that particular area. A moot court lacks involvement of actual testimonies, presentation of evidence and cross-examining, and focuses on the application aspect of law to a certain situation that has come with a set of assumptions.
Many law colleges include moot courts as part of their key extra-curricular activities. Moot court competitions are conducted in colleges so that students can fortify and sharpen their skills of mooting. Students are given the freedom to choose and form their own teams and argue and present a given case before a judge, simulating a ‘real court’ as closely as possible. Each side may be represented by two speakers and a third member in some cases, known as counsel. Speakers get between 10-20 minutes to go over key issues after which a brief round of rebuttals are permitted. Judges ask the speakers questions, following which several elimination rounds take place based on the format of the moot.
SLS is one of the few law schools in Hyderabad, that provides its students with the invaluable opportunity of participating in a moot court through which they are able to develop their written skills along with their expertise in advocacy. Being part of moot court competitions allows students to experience a ‘real life’ court as well as receive necessary feedback for improvement. It is an excellent practice for them to build legal insight and qualities of professionalism while remaining in a supportive, healthy and friendly environment and hence makes for a vital part of the learning process in the best law schools.