Elizabeth College team wins Collas Crill legal competition

Tuesday 15 December 2020

46 students from Guernsey’s sixth form colleges recently took part in the 13th annual Collas Crill Moot, giving them a taste of the work done by the legal firm.

Every year the competition pits pairs of students against one another in a mock courtroom trial situation, dealing with fictional scenarios over a number of rounds, and being judged by some of Collas Crill’s lawyers.

Each team also received coaching from a selection of the firms’ paralegals and trainees, including Ben Newton, Paige Williams, Kayleigh Oliver, Kazzmin Le Prevost, Theo Hannah, Jess Burgess and Charlie Brewin.

The finals took place on 9 December at the Collas Crill offices, between Matthew Stewart and Oliver Connolly from Elizabeth College, and Lydia Datta and Maisy Nicholls from the Ladies’ College. They were given a fictional road traffic accident to present cases on.

Teams were judged for their court etiquette, persuasiveness, clarity, body language and time keeping. Ultimately, the Elizabeth College team scored a narrow victory over the Ladies’ College.

“The Moot provides a fantastic opportunity for students to improve their communication, presentation, research and analysis, all of which will be invaluable in the next step of their education and working life,” said Wayne Atkinson, partner in Collas Crill’s corporate, finance and funds practice, and advocate of the Royal Court.

“Reasoned argument is a skill that’s essential whether you want a career in law, are just trying to convince your boss you deserve a raise, or to win an argument with friends.

“This year’s finalists were a talented bunch, and it was a close-run race. Both teams had prepared well, presenting their cases with flair and ingenuity.”

Pictured top: From left to right, Oliver Connolly, Michael Adkins, Wayne Atkinson, Angela Calnan, and Matthew Stewart.