STUDENT MOOTING COMPETITIONS
Animal Law Moots! Be inspired by…
the UK’s first dedicated animal law mooting competition, the Cecilia Moot and the world’s first dedicated animal law mooting competition, the Paula Sparks World Moot on International Law and Animal Rights!
Want to get involved in an animal law moot? Find out more…
about how you can participate. This is a great opportunity for students to hone their advocacy skills and delve into the complexities of animal law. Whilst the Cecilia Moot is no longer running, we encourage you to get involved in the Paula Sparks World Moot on International Law and Animal Rights. Learn more about this mooting competition and how you can get involved below!
Our Cecilia Moot winners! Be inspired…
Meet some of our past Cecilia animal law mooting competition winners.
What others said about the Cecilia Moot! Get excited for the moot…
and learn why you should get involved in an animal law mooting competition!
Thompson G. Page - General counsel to The Center for Animal Litigation, Inc.
‘Participating as a judge in the 2022 Cecelia Moot was a pure delight, and for many who revere the profession, an honor and welcomed professional obligation, to assist and guide future colleagues in their preparation for the law. I only hope my experience from a foreign jurisdiction (US), with its own ever-evolving but often similar body of law concerning allegedly dangerous dogs, added something for the competitors.
The participants performed beyond their experience; they possessed a great grasp of what they needed to do with their organized plans; they delivered effective and cogent arguments; and the finalists responded well to questions put to them – all characteristics of a capable advocate before the court. As a result, we “judges” spent a great deal of time deliberating the winning team and overall winner!
The preparation of these students and the efforts of the UK Centre for Animal Law are an inspiration for our work on behalf of companion animals on this side of the pond as well. I am proud to have assisted them, in my own small way, to further the goal that these creatures deserve the protection of their fundamental rights under the law, wherever that may be, and especially their right to life and a peaceful existence. All the best for now.’ Read more about Thompson’s experience judging our moot here.
Samuel March, Barrister
“I wrote the moot problem for the finals of the 2022 Cecilia Moot. Having judged some of the earlier rounds I was aware of the level of talent that was needed to get into the finals. I chose to focus on the Dangerous Dogs Act, and the differences between the way banned breeds and non-banned breeds are treated under it. Animal Law is a niche area of law, and this was an opportunity for some exceptionally bright students to engage with a controversial piece of legislation which raises knotty legal issues. A-LAW brought together a truly inspiring panel of leading experts to judge the finals. As a junior criminal barrister just starting out in a career in animal law, it was humbling to sit amongst them.”