The Eoin Higgins Memorial Moot took place on 4 February in Belfast

The Eoin Higgins Memorial Moot took place in Belfast this year, hosted by the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at the Royal Courts of Justice. The King’s Inns team was coached by Méabh Smyth BL. The King’s Inns team was comprised of advocates Orlaith Cross and Beth Hamill and researchers Jonathan Murphy and Fionbarra O’Callaghan.

The teams carried out extensive research into a moot problem based on the Northern Irish law on commercial leases, as well as drafting a memorial and practising their advocacy skills.

This moot is an annual cross–border event, the location of which rotates between Dublin and Belfast each year, with two senior judges from the host jurisdiction and one senior judge from the visiting team’s jurisdiction.

Mooting is a key extracurricular activity at King’s Inns. It permits students to participate in simulated court proceedings. Mooting typically involves engaging with complex problem questions, drafting memorials or setting up books of authority and participating in oral argument. Moot court competitions provide students with the opportunity to practice and refine their legal research, writing, and advocacy skills in a realistic but educational setting. They are judged by lawyers, professors, and sometimes actual judges, offering invaluable feedback and experience to aspiring legal professionals.

Congratulations to Orlaith Cross, who won the prize for best individual speaker!