Laying down the Law Week
Laying down the Law Week
May 14, 2009
Section: News
WARREN JONES
It wasn’t a real court, the defendants were made up, and the lawyers were actually students.
But for those students, presenting their cases to the ‘judges’ must have felt about as scary as the real thing.
Last week the University of Wollongong Law Students Society hosted the grand final of the region’s most prestigious law competition, the Senior Moot, which pitted some of the Illawarra’s best young legal minds against each other in a mock appeal in front of an audience of around 100 people.
The event was held at the UOW's new Innovation Campus in Fairy Meadow.
Vice President (Competitions) at the UOW Law Students' Society Luke McGregor said the competition gave students a chance to put what they learned in class into action in a competitive situation.
The case was set up as an appeal to the NSW Supreme court, over a ruling regarding a fictitious incident in which a schoolteacher acting as referee for a football game punched a student.
Sitting judgement were two barristers and an academic, acting just as three judges would in the NSW Supreme Court.
This week (May 11-12) is NSW Law Week, which this year focussed on taking legal information to regional communities.
President of the Law Society of the Law Society of NSW Joe Catanzariti said Law week is an important tool for helping people understand the law.
“Most people find the law and obtaining legal information quite intimidating,” he said.
“The aim of this year’s Law Week is to educate the public and highlight services that are available.”
For list of full events in the area visit www.lawweek.com.au.
