Swansea’s School of Law’s strong focus on experiential learning – the process of ‘learning through doing’ – continues to grow and show dividends. A key part of this lies in supporting and preparing teams of students to take part in a range of competitions throughout the academic year. Our students compete on behalf of the Law School and the University in skills of trial advocacy, appellate advocacy, client interviewing, negotiation, and mediation.
Under the tuition and guidance of Dr Matthew Parry, Mooting Co-ordinator at the School, with support from a key team of academics, and the newly formed student-led Swansea Law Skills Competition Association (SLSCA) the following student teams have already achieved excellent successes in a number of competitions in 2024:
- Bradley Selleck and Adshayan Kuruncikumaran (both 3rd years) progressed in the Michael Corkery QC Moot having earlier qualified for the knock-out stages. Despite unfortunately not being one of the top 2 teams to progress to the Final, the team received very strong feedback from the judge.
- In the Southampton National Moot, Rohan Ganeriwal (2nd year) and Raquel Grobe (3rd year) flew the flag for Swansea against the University of Law Birmingham and the University of Sheffield Hallam. They fought very well but finished outside the Final 4.
- In the English Speakers Union Moot, Anna Lasenko (3rd year) and Nick Mitchell (2nd year) beat Exeter and Aberystwyth to progress to the 3rd round - reaching the last 16 is a best for Swansea in this competition, and they may go on further still.
- In mediation, the Swansea team of Chloe Gear, Chidinma Nwalupue and Norma Omiller (all final years) travelled to Edinburgh for the UK Mediation Competition. Accompanied by Tutor, Emma Richards, they finished 3rd overall representing Swansea’s best result in the competition. Chidinma also got the award for second best individual mediator.
- In client interviewing, Alexandra Stewart and Sara Wideman (both 3rd years) won the National Client Interviewing Competition Online Regional beating 19 other teams. They go on to the National Competition.
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Lexie Stewart and Sara Wideman (both 3rd years) broke new ground by becoming the first Swansea team to win the England and Wales National Client Interviewing Competition! They performed brilliantly across three incredibly challenging rounds and won by a clear 20 points from the University of Bangor and Sussex. Lexie and Sara go on to represent Wales in the International Competition in Poland.
- In the Mediate Guru Client Interviewing Competition, Abigail Edwards (1st year) and Colm Yethon (1st year) reached the semi-finals and quarter finals respectively.
- In negotiations, Swansea entered two teams to the CEDR National Negotiation Competition Online Regional. Anna Lasenko (3rd year) and Amelia Triaca (2nd year) performed superbly, narrowly missing out on progression, but Emma Layton and Hadley Middleton (both 3rd years) progressed to the National Competition - the third year in a row that Swansea has achieved this success.
- In the Transatlantic Negotiation Competition, Chidinma Nwalupue (3rd year) was awarded the best individual advocate in the International bracket.
- Finally, Chloe Gear and Emily McGillivray-Crawford (both final years) won the York Inter-Varsity Negotiation Competition in Swansea’s first year entering. They recorded a perfect 5-0 streak beating teams from York, Warwick, Cambridge and Leeds.
This all marks an excellent beginning to 2024, with huge successes across the spectrum of law competitions, all of which result in excellent experience for each and every student, that will no doubt live long in the memory, and provide a strong basis for their future careers.
Speaking of the students’ successes, Dr Matthew Parry had the following to say:
“As a law school we enter between 25 and 30 competitions every year with the opportunity for students across all years to compete. The students who do so represent the University as ambassadors superbly every time, regardless of outcome. It is a testament to their hard work, and the support that they give to each other through the SLSCA that their educational development has been matched by these fantastic results. The next few months should be even more exciting and it is hugely satisfying to work with the students on these projects.”
Head of School, Professor Alison Perry, also said:
“It is immensely pleasing to see our students representing their Law School across such a wide range of competitions, and with such success. We hope they are as proud of their achievements as we are.”