BAC Mooting Society takes Runner Up at KL Bar!

It has not been long since the Mooting Society began its new tenure, but they are already on a roll! Over the past few months, several members of the BAC Mooting Society participated in the Kuala Lumpur Bar - Lincoln's Inn Alumni Association of Malaysia Moot Court Competition 2022. Two teams of five, including first-time mooters represented BAC, and they were extremely nervous.

Team 2212 was made up of Oh Chiang Rou, Joanne Ang Su Fern, Tai Eu Dian, Tan Zhi Yi and Joel Nathaneal William Lawrance.

Team 2213 comprised of Siti Nazatul Nadia Binti Mohd Ridzuan, Lee Zia Yang, Chai Jia Yang, Ng Wern and Dashret Nair A/L Sukumaran.

The two teams, coached by Bryan Wang, presented on the topic of abortion laws.

They started off with their written submission in September, into which months of work went in. With proper research and compiling of ideas, both teams then handed in their written submissions before the deadline. They also started preparing their oral submission early, where Coach Bryan prepped them thoroughly and invited other experts to coach the teams.

On 11th November 2022, the two teams gathered at an Airbnb to practice and prepare for the competition on the next day! They tested each other based on questions they predicted the judges would ask, and heightened training in oral advocacy. Some members of the team even stayed up until 4:30am to ensure they were fully prepared and have done adequate research for the competition.

On competition day, Team 2212 and 2213 brought their game on!

They reached the High Court at 8am, all hyped-up and ready to begin the competition. The two teams were placed in different groups, and both faced tough opponents. Both teams gave their best during the preliminaries, and their efforts paid off as they progressed to the semi-finals! Excited with the unexpected results, both teams then realised that they were up against each other, which meant only one team would then make it to the finals.

There were mixed feelings as the ballots were pulled out. On one hand, it was great that at least one team representing BAC would definitely make it to the finals but on the other, it was bittersweet because they had to go up against friends that they had spent all night preparing for the competition with.

It was an intense match with a unique twist: the two teams knew each others' submissions well enough to know what points would be argued.

Hence, both teams stayed up late the night before coming up with new and fresh arguments. In the end, Team 2212 took the win, moving on to the finals.

"The experience of physically submitting before a panel of distinguished practitioners had clearly taught me how actual cases are dealt in court. Even though we only had the chance to submit our case until semi-finals, it was without a doubt, more of a learning experience than a competition," said Nadia of Team 2213.

After two days of hard work, including two nights in an Airbnb to prepare, Team 2212 faced-off against UM in the finals, a very skilled mooting team. Lending them their support, Team 2213 stayed on to assist their friends in their research as they read Team UM's written submission. "The process was truly demanding, but I am glad that the end was beyond satisfactory," said Eu Dian.

It was an intimidating match, as there were five judges presiding over the finals as opposed to the usual three. After a challenging case, Team 2212 then clinched 1st-Runner Up title, short of just 3 points! It was a huge achievement for them, especially since Joel was a first time mooter.

"Being a first-time mooter, I am beyond grateful to God for how far our team had made it in the competition. The judges’ feedback after each round helped me identify how to effectively streamline the arguments and present them better in subsequent rounds," said Joel.

That was not the only prize awarded to Team 2212! They also won best written submission and highest preliminary scores, which combined with their runner-up achievement, was something for them to take pride in. The BAC mooters unanimously agreed that the award belonged to both teams, as they exchanged ideas, trained together and sharpened each others' submissions.

"From the start to the end, it has always been wonderful and very insightful. The time we spent together and the knowledge we gained from one another was just great , even if we did not win at the very least. To me this competition has brought a lot of impact in my life!" said Zia Yang.

"The greatest feeling is to witness the team’s growth. We are beyond thrilled for the end product, although at the expense of many sleepless nights. I’m glad it paid off. Credits and appreciation to our coach, Bryan and the support from the BAC Management. This is indeed a well enjoyed journey, no regrets." said Chiang Rou, the President of the BAC Mooting Society.

The BAC family congratulates all mooters who participated in the competition.

"We are proud of your achievement."

This will not be the end for the BAC Mooting Society's quest to succeed! On the 26th of November, they will be participating in the International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition Malaysia 2022. If you wish to support them, join them at IIUM Gombak!

Here's to more wins from the Mooting Society!