Posted by The Law School
25 September 2026Fancy entering this competition which consists of five minute rounds where you need to persuade a judge to grant your client bail? The winner will receive an iPad and there is a £100 voucher for the runner-up.
This is a great way to get into advocacy competitions as no prior experience is needed. There is no research and no drafting, and you are judged on your oral advocacy alone. The bundle is released by 18:00 on Friday 11 December, the evening before, so the whole thing takes under 24 hours of your time. You compete as an individual, so there is no team to join and no trials to get through.
Who it suits
Anyone curious about advocacy, and particularly anyone thinking about criminal law, whether you are aiming for the Bar or for a career as a solicitor. Bail applications are daily work in the magistrates’ and Crown Courts, and having done one in front of a practitioner gives you something concrete to talk about at pupillage and training contract interviews.
Support from the Law School
I will be running sessions in the weeks beforehand on how a bail application works, how to structure your five minutes, and how to handle questions from the bench. There will also be a chance to practise before the day.
How to take part
You are welcome to register yourself directly at https://speedmooting.com/bail-app-2026.
The entry fee is £36 and places are limited to 200.
We will also be funding a number of students to compete.
If you would like to be considered, email me with:
Send this to mooting@exeter.ac.uk by 16:00 Wednesday 30th September.