More than 50 students have been experiencing life as a lawyer in the Cayman Collas Crill Moot.
The final of the competition will take place on 26 January at the Courthouse.
Cayman Prep and High School's Ariella Rankin and Anabella Hayden, Jordan Lisle and Jack Coleman from Cayman International School and Clifton Hunter's Jade-Ann Scott and Sashalee Taylor have come through three rounds of the Moot to be the top-scoring teams from each school.
The Moot is an annual inter-school competition that sees senior students from across the Cayman Islands competing against each other in a mock-trial setting.
Students study legal case notes and apply them to a mock court situation. Participants are mentored and coached by Collas Crill lawyers throughout the competition and judged by some of the firm's lawyers during the mock trials.
For aspiring lawyers the Moot teaches the basics of certain aspects of law and provides a fantastic opportunity to experience the drama of the courtroom first hand. For those not looking to pursue a legal career, the Moot provides the chance to improve on their communication, presentation, research and analytical skills.
The students must present their arguments and are marked on their court etiquette, persuasiveness, clarity, body language, legal argument and time-keeping.
Three rounds of Moots have already taken place over October and November and a different fictional legal case has been argued each round, covering tort, contract and criminal law.
In the final the six students will take part in a mock injunction case involving a fictional company Big Power Limited and a member of staff who has allegedly leaked important information to a rival firm.
The tribunal will be made up of Collas Crill Partners Jennifer Colegate and Matthew Dors, and Cayman Managing Partner Stephen Leontsinis.
Stephen Leontsinis said: 'The Collas Crill Moot Court Competition is an initiative that has benefitted from the support of our whole firm. From the weekly organisation of the competitive rounds and the provision of support and training to the students, to the time spent judging the competitive rounds, the attorneys and staff at Collas Crill have embraced this initiative whole-heartedly. I am also very grateful to the staff and teachers of the High Schools who have partnered with us in its inaugural year. Long may the competition and our partnership continue. I wish all six finalists the best of luck for the final.'
Special thanks go to Clare-Louise McGrath, Equechie Montoya, Mark Burrows, Ronan O'Doherty, Andrew Peedom, Charlotte Walker, Kirsten Bailey and Dawn Major for all their help with training the students, and Natascha Steiner-Smith, Natalie Bell, Matt Dors and Zachary Hoskin for judging Moots 1-3.
Read more about the finalists:
Cayman Prep and High School
Cayman International School
Clifton Hunter
