The Competitions Officers of WULSA are in charge of running and organising the legal competitions throughout the year. The competitions are designed to provide an opportunity for students to test themselves in areas that are essential while practising law.
The range of competitions includes Client Interviewing, Mooting, Negotiation and Witness Examination. Each competition is designed to challenge students in different ways, and teach them key skills that can be used later in their legal careers. Successful competitors are normally those who can think on their feet, be organised and prepared, and present themselves in a clear and concise manner.
Successful competitors get the chance to interact with these firms as well as an opportunity to represent Waikato University at National, Australasian and International competitions. Our competitions are an effective way of developing the skills required of a lawyers, as well as a way of meeting and socialising with new people.
The Competitions Officers for 2022 are Penina Afemui and Vanessa Mason. They can be contacted at wulsacompetitions@gmail.com.
Mooting
Confidence is key, but at the end of the day your job is to convince the Judge that your view of the law is correct. You will receive a fact problem with two issues and a list of cases to read, and then you must argue about what the correct law is that should be applied to the situation.
2021 Best Speaker: Patricia Alcartado
2021 Top Team: Melissa Noanoa and Patricia Alcartado
Client Interviewing
Fancy yourself the next Sherlock Holmes? Grab a mate and put your interviewing skills to the test in this challenge. Ask the right questions and you’ll get the facts you need. The goal is to make your client feel comfortable and well informed of the options available.
2021 Champions: Grier Gardyne and Shekinah Blaikie
Witness Examination
If you’re thinking about a career in litigation you’ll need to know how to examine and cross-examine a witness. No legal research is required, so this is a competition you can enter without worrying about time commitments.
2021 Champion: Rebekah Te Rito
Negotiation
In the negotiation competition, students compete in teams of two. Each team receives a common set of facts and a confidential set of facts known only to that team prior to the negotiation. Teams must negotiate a transaction or resolve a dispute on behalf of their respective clients within 50 minutes.
2021 Champions: Catherine Grobler and Scarlett Hartstone