Moot Court is one of the primary modes of clinical legal education which prepares law students to face actual courtroom work, whose performance is adjudged by bench of 3 judges drawn from amongst senior judges, leading counsels, diplomats, media persons and academics.
The year’s moot problem is regarding the situation of armed conflict prevailing in three countries namely Gargola, Triala and Nivansha and involves an ethnical feud between two ethnicities, namely Nivanshis and Gargolians, occupying a major part of the aforesaid countries.
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vipin Sanghi, Judge, High Court of Delhi and Mr. Justice Fakhruddin (Retd.), Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India inaugurated the competition.
Welcoming the august gathering, Maj. Gen. Nilendra Kumar- Director, Amity Law School, Amity University gave a brief report of second Amity International Moot Court Competition and stressed that Amity Law School places great reliance on Clinical legal education. Moots, Legal Aid Clinics, Law Reform Competitions help students attain proficiency in actual application of law to real life situations. It also prepares them to enhance their communication skils, advocacy, competence and legal perspective.
Emphasizing on the importance of Moot Court Competitions, the Chief Guest Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vipin Sanghi, Judge, High Court of Delhi said, “ Moot Court Competitions serve good purpose for all students at law schools not only contestants and audience but even for those who participate as judges because they are great learning experience for them as well. In today’s Moot Court Competitions, the problems are framed in rather complicated way, involving various municipal and International laws. They provide very good opportunity for the participants to think rationally, analyze the various facets involved in the case and structure their arguments in a coherent way. This mental exercise holds the participants in good stead when they join the legal profession.” Talking about the law profession, Hon’ble judge said, “Law profession is one such profession where one can work with compete honesty and dignity and he/she will always be respected for that.” Further, advising the students, he said,” When you join the profession, you should be patient and not be in rush, look out for a senior who follows honest and ethical practices and enjoys a clean reputation because it is quite likely that you will imbibe the same virtues that your senior possesses.”
Addressing the lawyers in the making, Mr. Justice Fakhruddin (Retd.), Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India shared numerous tips as to how they have to practice law and put across their views emphatically. He remarked that young lawyers earlier were just supposed to know how to “dress and address” but with the passage of time their role has become very important in the society. He advised students to be careful while arguing the case since their first judge is client and unless and until, he is satisfied he will not handover the brief to them. “The law profession is very challenging. Always put yourself in the shoes of the person whose case you are defending, then only you will be able to put across the facts and actual circumstances behind the scene in a convincible manner. Place your viewpoint to the best of your abilities and listen patiently to the other side. You can convince the judge with your own viewpoint and arguments. The law will, eventually, take its own course”, stressed Mr. Justice Fakhruddin.
While sharing his view during the occasion, Dr. M N Raste- Dean, Faculty of Law, Amity University emphasized that India has the youngest generation of budding lawyers across the world. Giving an inspiring message to the budding lawyers, Dr. Raste advised “In profession, if you lose your client, don’t bother, if you lose your court, don’t yell, if you lose your case, don’t run but the day you lose your conscience you lose everything in the world, keep it alive and do justice to everyone who comes to you- poor or rich.”
The two day event has four rounds -preliminary round, quarter-final round, semi-final round and final round wherein the students from over 30 law colleges and institutes across India are participating including Symbiosis Law School, Pune, School of Law, KIIT, Jindal Global Law School, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Kerala Law Academy, Faculty of Law, Aligarh and many more.
Over 36 judges would adjudge the performance of budding lawyers in 19 courtrooms where each team will be given an opportunity to polish their skils of argument, present a case and argue their case on merits.
