As the University of Calgary Faculty of Law nears its 50th anniversary this fall, mooting remains a defining part of the student experience, blending academic training with the realities of legal practice.
From left: Leona Ahn, LeeAnn Baker, Joshua Nahmias
UCalgary Law students delivered standout results on the moot court competition circuit this year. At the Alberta Court of Appeal Moot Competition this past March, they captured all three categories for the first time in more than a decade, with teams winning the civil, criminal and constitutional cases.
In moot court competitions, students take on the role of counsel, prepare written submissions, deliver oral arguments, and respond to questions before panels of experienced judges much as they would when arguing real-world cases.
"We swept this time, which we're all very proud of. It was a really meaningful win," says second-year Juris Doctor student Joshua Nahmias, who won the Alberta Court of Appeal constitutional moot case alongside his partner and fellow second-year JD student, Ariana Shakeri, BSc'23.
From left: Sean Sander, Joshua Nahmias, Olivia Watchman, Ariana Shakeri, Mack Wilson, and Jack Gooding with their trophy after UCalgary Law's historic sweep of the Alberta Court of Appeal Moot. Photo Courtesy of Joshua Nahmias
Strong results across provincial and international competitions
Leona Ahn, also part of the upcoming JD Class of 2027, earned national recognition at the Canadian rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Ottawa this past February. Competing in the world's largest moot court competition, Ahn placed as second overall oralist in the Canadian rounds.
Ahn, a captain in the Canadian Armed Forces and a military legal training candidate, likens the mooting experience to "basic training to be a lawyer."
"You're pushing each other, trying to reach each other's potential ... everyone has a role to play," she says. "My win would not have been possible without each of my teammates and coaches."
LeeAnn Baker, BA'20, a JD student set to graduate in June, won the Morrison Family Law Moot this past March in Edmonton with her partner and fellow Class of 2026 member, Robyn Bendoritis. Baker was also named Top Oralist of the competition. The experience offered an early glimpse into their future as colleagues, as the pair prepare to article together in the fall.
"Through the moot, we built a strong working and personal relationship and learned how to collaborate effectively," says Baker. "I'm looking forward to continuing that next year."
LeeAnn Baker, left, and Robyn Bendoritis celebrate with their trophy after winning the Morrison Family Law Moot. Photo Courtesy of LeeAnn Baker
Support from Calgary's legal community
The program's success is rooted in strong ties to Calgary's legal community, including alumni volunteer coaches and support from local law firms.
"Mooting, which combines both written and oral advocacy, has been an integral part of the Law faculty since we began," says Dr. Elizabeth Whitsitt, associate professor of law and chair of the mooting program.
"We have incredible volunteer coaching," says Whitsitt, BSc'99, LLB'04, PhD'17. "Legal practitioners meet with students, give feedback on their writing and run practice moots, all out of the goodness of their hearts. We could not run the program without them."
For Nahmias, one moment during the competition captured that sense of support. After finishing his argument, he glanced back at his coach, UCalgary alum Rob Moyse, LLB'10, legal counsel at the Court of Appeal of Alberta.
"I looked back and saw (Moyse) smiling," Nahmias says. "That's when I knew we had done a good job. That was pretty gratifying."
From competition to courtroom
The value of mooting extends beyond competition results. For Baker, the experience marked a turning point in both her confidence and personal growth. "Part of the reason why I signed up for the moot was to strengthen my public speaking skills," she says. Reflecting on her Top Oralist win, she adds, "It actually means a lot to me," marking a full-circle moment in the growth she set out to achieve.
Students also say mooting sharpens core legal skills. Ahn describes it as "a really great opportunity to hone our research skills and legal advocacy skills so that, when we're entrusted with real clients and real problems, we're up to that task."
From left: Tim Chan, Michelle Nguyen, Diyana Woldegebrael, Leona Ahn, Gyan Bains, Jeffrey Wang, and Brendan Hill at the Canadian rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Ottawa. Photo Courtesy of Leona Ahn
At UCalgary Law, mooting is supported through on-campus opportunities such as the internal McGillivray Moot and experiential coursework. Students are encouraged to engage inadvocacy in practical settings, where they gain exposure to courtroom processes and develop the written and oral skills central to legal practice.
"Mooting is the perfect marriage of student-centred and community-engaged education," says Whitsitt. "When you bring those together, it produces some really compelling results for everybody."
This year's accomplishments reflect UCalgary Law's dedication to experiential learning opportunities, with students continuing to distinguish themselves at both the provincial and national level.
"I'm so inspired but not surprised by our students' incredible mooting successes," says Dr. Laura Spitz, JSD, dean of UCalgary Law. "They are skilled, passionate and dedicated through all aspects of their legal education. Our faculty have long emphasized experiential learning as essential to practice readiness, and we are as committed as the students are to creating meaningful mooting opportunities for them. Their successes this year are well earned, and we couldn't be prouder of all their accomplishments."
To learn more about mooting at UCalgary's Faculty of Law, click here.
