Inaugural Mock Trials Vic inspires VCE Legal Studies Students
Mock Trials Victoria was launched in November of 2023 as part of a desire to ‘do things differently’. To be able to expand both the opportunities and experiences available to students engaged in VCE Legal Studies beyond those currently open to them.
Drawing its inspiration from those competitions held in Western Australia and New South Wales, the Mock Trials Victoria competition aims to offer students a close up perspective of the judicial system in Victoria by providing practical experience into the running of a court case, in a true-to-life adversarial setting.
Students learn advocacy, debating, negotiation and problem-solving skills, among others. They need to be able to assemble a reasoned and focused case on behalf their ‘client’. The competition is conducted by Mock Trials Victoria and is a practical means of introducing students to the law and to increase understanding of the basis of our judicial system.
The prosecution team consult their notes during the Grand Final of the inaugural Mock Trials Victoria competition.
Student Hele found the inaugural Mock Trials Victoria competition to be inspiring and it’s motivated her to pursue a future role in law.
“During my time participating in the mock trial competition, I gained an inspiring and insightful experience into the law. The mock trials provided me with a unique opportunity to not only observe but also actively engage in court proceedings. I particularly enjoyed the roles of Solicitor and Judge's Associate, which allowed me to appreciate the complexities of legal practice from different perspectives,” said Hele.
“One of the most exciting aspects of the competition was witnessing judges in action, delivering their rulings and interacting with legal teams. It was fascinating to see how their decisions shaped the course of the trial, and this reinforced my growing passion for the law. Additionally, the camaraderie within our team and with students from other schools added a collaborative and enjoyable element to the experience, making it even more memorable.”
“I look forward to continuing my passion for a role in law in the coming years,” said Hele
The defence team prepare their case for the Grand Final of the inaugural Mock Trials Victoria competition.
The competition was launched at COMVIEW23 drawing interest from a number of school across the Metro area. After an intital meeting in March of this year 6 teams were entered in the inaugural competition from Tintern Grammar, Lauriston Girls’ School, Huntingtower School and Haileybury College. The inaugural competition comprised of three competition rounds dealing with criminal and civil cases and hosted at the competing schools.
Through the assistance of Dr. Mel Marquis, Deputy Associate Dean (Engagement) and executive member of the Centre for Commercial Law and Regulatory Studies (CLARS), Monash Law has become a major sponsor of the competition and hosted the Semi Final and Grand Final rounds in the magnificent Moot Court. The Semi Final case saw teams argue a civil case of property damage resulting from an out-of-control protest action at a fast food restaurant.
The matter was heard by retired Supreme Court Justice Lex Lasry, who gave most generously of his time. His Honour said he thought the competition was “,a terrific way to get young people closer to the law and closer to the work the courts do, so that they have a better understanding of what the whole systems about and what their future could be like.”
The prosecution team prepare their case for the Grand Final of the inaugural Mock Trials Victoria competition.
Student Arya joined the mock trial program for social reasons, but quickly caught the enthusiasm of fellow students and set her sights on the grand final.
“I joined the mock trial team because I saw it as an enjoyable opportunity to try something new as an extra-curricular with friends. It turned out to be an experience like no other in the sense of being able to walk through all the aspects of a real case, including evidence and witnesses. Then to make it to the finals to 'perform' at the Monash Moot Courtroom in front of a senior judge – that’s the kind of thing that not even all real lawyers experience,” said Arya.
“Not only did I develop a great bond with my legal studies classmates and created some of the fondest memories I also think I can now argue better, as you end up practicing the skill of looking at how the opponent might approach a set of facts and use it to make help progress your case.”
The Grand Final was held in October, between Lauriston Girls’ School and Tintern Grammar.
Under the direction of Justice Terry Forrest of the Victorian Supreme Court the court heard the matter of the DPP V Billington, a charge of attempted murder.
Present in the gallery were first year Monash Law students Calliste, Matilda and Charlotte. Calliste and Matilda participated in a Mock Trial held at Monash in 2023. It’s hoped that students of Monash Law will come on board to act as coaches and guides for schools participating in future years. This way, the link between community and university sectors. The Competition has been received extremely well from the perspective of schools, participating students and sponsors.
Winners of the inaugural Mock Trials Victoria Grand Final Lauriston Girls' School Team with Justice Forrest.
Teacher Jess thought Mock Trials Victoria would be a good value add to classwork and was impressed to see the power of experiential learning that this program provides.
“I entered a team in the inaugural Mock Trials Victoria competition in the hope that it would provide some way of bringing civil and criminal law concepts together for my students. What I did not expect was just how deeply my students would throw themselves into participating, and how much they would gain both personally and academically,” said Jess.
“As an experiential learning activity it is hard to top – I now have students who can visualise themselves in a courtroom, and who have a study or career path to aim for. Others found themselves achieving in ways that they did not expect, beyond what they can accomplish in a written test.”
“To be able to hold the finals at the Monash Law School was the icing on the cake that lent an incredible sense of gravitas and realism to the competition. This competition has given all of the team members a meaningful, memorable experience to take away in their final years of school,” said Jess