Durham University Mooting Society Concludes Novice Cup with Outstanding Advocacy Display

16 December 2024

The judges with the finalists and the Executive Committee of Durham University Mooting Society

Durham University Mooting Society successfully concluded its Novice Cup on 5th December, 2024. This flagship competition attracts over 100 participants each year, and provides an invaluable introduction to mooting for beginners.

Purple Line Separator Slim

This year, the Mooting Society is fortunate to have Mr Glenn Gatland (Trinity Chambers, Call 1972) and Ms Gemma Davies (Associate Professor) as judges for the final round. As a leading counsel on the North Eastern Circuit, Mr Gatland brought decades of experience in criminal and regulatory law to the moot, including a secondment to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as an Attorney General. Ms Davies is a lecturer in Criminal Law at Durham Law School, and had practised as a barrister from 2005 to 2012 in addition to her research on criminal justice cooperation.

Held in the decorated Prior’s Hall at Durham Cathedral, the final round featured four exceptional finalists – Cindy Wang, Richard Griffiths, Angela Meng, and Chun Kit-Lo – debating complex issues of criminal law and human rights. Having excelled in previous rounds, the finalists delivered persuasive oral submissions and navigated challenging judicial interventions with confidence.

After thoughtful deliberation, the judges delivered a detailed ‘mini-judgment’ addressing the moot problem and awarded Cindy Wang and Richard Griffiths the title of Winning Team. Richard was further recognised as Best Advocate for his outstanding advocacy skills.

The Mooting Society is grateful for all the help it has received for this competition. Special thanks go to the Executive Committee for their tireless efforts in organising this moot and to all the participants for their enthusiasm. Finally, the Society deeply appreciates Mr Glenn Gatland, Ms Gemma Davies and Professor Barend van Leeuwen for their generous support, with Professor van Leeuwen judging the semi-finals and Mr Gatland and Ms Davies presiding over the final round.