Article by: Alessandro Carlini, Botond Pinter and Valeryia Lukhverchyk
Would you like to act as a sports lawyer before becoming one?
If the answer is yes, then mooting is what you are looking for!
What is a moot and why is it useful?
A moot is essentially a mock-trial which aims to mirror real-life court proceedings. The purpose of the activity is to help law students and young professionals engage in and understand legal issues; to analyse legal topics and work on their research skills; to learn to work in legal teams; and, to showcase their oratory talent, both in making submissions and cross-examining a witness. A mooting competition provides its participants with a solid foundation to be prepared to face the tasks of a lawyer.
There are both national and international moot courts – international mooting competitions allow participants of different nationalities to interact with one another and better comprehend their path in a globalised world, aiding to make long-lasting connection worldwide. It is not unlikely that you might meet some of your fellow mooters in court one day, either as co-counsel or across the floor.
Here are three good reasons for students to participate in moot trials:
- Develop practical legal skills: Moot trials provide law students with a practical and realistic experience of legal proceedings, allowing them to develop essential legal skills such as legal research, analysis, and advocacy. Students learn how to construct legal arguments, present their case before a panel of judges, and respond to questions and challenges from the bench.
- Receive feedback from experienced professionals: Moot trials give law students an opportunity to receive feedback and guidance from experienced legal professionals, such as lawyers and judges, who can offer constructive criticism on their arguments and presentation. This feedback can help students to improve their legal reasoning, advocacy skills, and overall performance in future legal proceedings.
- Foster teamwork and collaboration: Moot trials require law students to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with their teammates. Teams must work together to prepare written submissions and oral arguments, and students must be able to work collaboratively to construct a cohesive legal argument. This experience can help students develop valuable teamwork and communication skills that are essential in the legal profession.
If this is appealing to you, then take a look at the International Football Arbtiration Moot (IFAM).
What is the International Football Arbitration Moot?
The IFAM is the first and only specialised football moot in the world – it is an annual team competition held in Platja d’Aro, Spain, for law students and young professionals. Participants receive a unique opportunity to try their hand at sports law and compete in a moot that is a realistic simulation of a football dispute. The competition requires participants to draft written submissions and appear at in-person hearings where they are judged by leading sports law experts and real arbitrators from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the so-called ‘supreme court’ of sports. It is worth mentioning that the winning team receives the opportunity to undertake an internship at a leading sports law firm!
Beyond being just a mooting competition, the IFAM event includes a mini-conference, networking and social event to give its participants a holistic introduction to sports law and help build a community of young professionals connected to the experts of the industry – lawyers, arbitrators and many other high-level professionals in the football industry. If you want to make the first step in your career in football law, then you should not miss this opportunity!
WE Work In Sport communiy members benefit from a 20% discount on all prices for the moot and conference; just let us know by email and we will apply your discount!
To register, visit: www.footballmoot.com/registration
For any enquiries, please contact us at: info@footballmoot.com
