Busy year for Edinburgh University mooters

Busy year for Edinburgh University mooters

Rachel Winfield and Richard Anderson after Winning the Alexander Stone Mooting Competition

The Edinburgh University Mooting Society has had a busy year, having last month hosted the finals of both the Pinsent Masons Junior Mooting Competition, exclusively for first year students; and the LexisNexis Senior Mooting Competition for second, third and fourth year students.

More than 100 students took part in both competitions.

Making the junior final, held at the Court of Session before Lady Wolffe, were George Bruce, Zachary Stewart, William Kesley and Drake Irvine.

Their problem was based upon a judicial review of a decision taken by the tax authorities and whether this decision was irrational and incompatible with the ECHR.

George Bruce and Zachary Stewart prevailed in the end, convincing Lady Wolffe of their arguments.

The senior competition final was also held at the Court of Session, before Lord Arthurson.

It was a criminal appeal argued before a hypothetical full bench of five judges. Matthew Knapp and Stewart Forrest acted for the appellant while Rachel Winfield and Richard Anderson appeared for the Crown. This problem focused on the law of spontaneous concert in murder along with the connected issue of acting in defence of another.

The bench was to decide whether to overturn authority which says the accused cannot be liable for the actions of another if they were not aware of them inflicting the mortal injury.

Lord Arthurson found there was no miscarriage of justice and no authorities had to be overruled. He handed the win to Rachel Winfield and Richard Anderson.

Rachel and Richard then found themselves back in court mere days later – for the final of the Alexander Stone Mooting Competition.

Their moot was on product liability and contaminated blood and saw them take on a team from Edinburgh Napier University

They once again, however, prevailed, claiming Edinburgh’s first competition win since 2015.

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