Mooting - A Path to Success

MS PALLAVI BAJPAI

LLM, Nalsar University (Gold Medallist)

UGC NET 

Assistant Professor, School of Law, NCU

Pursuing Law has always been a very lucrative career option for Students world –wide. The traditional approach of undertaking a Law degree has been by pursuing a three year LL.B Course. But lately with the opening horizons for law graduates a new integrated structure for completion of a law degree has emerged which are B.B.A.L.L.B, B.A.L.L.B B.COM L.L.B etc. There are many imminent law colleges in Delhi / NCR providing such courses. These courses have an edge over the simple graduation course for law. Firstly these are undertaken after class twelfth itself, it is a five year course incorporating credentials of both the integrated courses secondly it encompasses a lot of practical quotient for skilful implications. One of the most important training given to the students is that of Mooting. The Term Mooting comes from the word Moot which means “Open to Discussion”. 

Mooting is the oral presentation of a legal issue or problem against an opposing counsel and before a judge. It is a mock court where real court room exposure is provided to the students. It is perhaps the closest experience that a student can have whilst at university to appearing in court. There are many advantages which mooting provides :It gives you the ‘feel’ or the thrill of being present in a courtroom, improves speaking skills and persuasion skills,  improves one’s writing skills, improves research skills, helps adopt great analytical aptitude. By taking part in a moot, students do not just show their knowledge and skill in handling legal materials, but also their ability to practise the art of forensic and persuasive argument in a concise and effective manner. Mooting also enables students to gain confidence as advocates in a courtroom setting. 

In short, mooting is a small but firm step on the road to a place in chambers and Litigation houses.  Despite the direct benefits that mooting would have for those interested in a career in litigation, many mooters do not choose litigation but instead opt for a career in a corporate law firm. Today employers are not only looking for people with good academic records they’re looking at what extra-curricular activities they’ve been involved in and for law graduates mooting stands on the top. The Bread and Butter for advocates is the art of persuasion with right analytical reasoning which is directly provided by mooting. Such a practice has become a part of the curriculum in top law schools in Haryana aiding towards their success.