New Moot Room opens at the University of Chichester for future legal stars

Lord Briggs also took the time to judge an internal Mooting competition, where law students' legal skills are tested in mock courtroom conditions. The competition was won by Laura Keeley and Ethan Murphy.

Laura and Ethan said: "We entered the moot competition to further develop our legal research and advocacy skills, and honestly didn’t expect to even get through the first round let alone make it to the final and win the trophy! The final scenario was especially difficult, covering areas of law we hadn’t studied before and relying on international cases, but we have both learned so much about how to make connections in our legal knowledge and apply it to different problems.

"We feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to face Lord Briggs. He asked some very challenging questions but that gave us the chance to think on our feet and demonstrate how much work we had done in preparation, with help from our researcher Bethany Fisher. It was really valuable to have such positive feedback from Lord Briggs on our advocacy and response to judicial intervention."

Talking about the importance of the skills that legal students will be able to practice in the new Moot Room, Lord Briggs said: “The importance of this fantastic new facility for the students at the University of Chichester can't be underestimated as they train for their future legal careers. The ability to argue your case effectively is key to success in the legal profession not only in court, but in mediation and other ADR, and in business life generally. Oral advocacy remains at the heart of it and I'm delighted to open this impressive new Moot Room facility."

The Supreme Court Justice, the first lawyer in his family, was appointed in 2017 following a historic career at the forefront of law, and is commonly known for his reform work intending to create more affordable dispute resolution procedures.

Dr Amy Elkington, Senior Lecturer in Law added: "Law is a practical subject where students benefit from having the opportunity to practice requisite skills to be a legal professional. The new mooting room at the University of Chichester gives students the chance to practice advocacy, and hone their legal arguments, in a court room environment that brings the law to life."