Posted by The Law School
25 August 2026Congratulations to our mooters who recently took part in the National First Year Moot Competition reaching the semi-finals.
Director of Mooting and Competitions Adam Nicholls said he was very proud of first-year students Hana and Arwyn, who did an amazing job representing the University of Exeter Law School:
They threw themselves into the competition 100% and worked incredibly hard as a team to fight off some fierce competition. Mooting builds skills that stay with students long after the competition ends: confident public speaking, sharp legal analysis, and the ability to think on your feet under pressure. Hana and Arwyn are a brilliant example of exactly that.
The students shared their reflections of the competition:
Hana Hockaday
I am very grateful to have been chosen to represent the University of Exeter at this year’s National First Year Mooting Competition. Initially, court advocacy was not something I had considered doing, but I am glad Adam saw something in me that I had not yet seen in myself. I have always enjoyed picking apart points of law in class, and the moot turned out to require exactly such skill.
The competition demanded a lot of preparation and commitment, but that is what made it so rewarding. Preparing both the appellant and respondent arguments sharpened my analytical skills enormously, as I was constantly questioning what the other side might say.
I also gained a real friend in my mooting partner, and it still strikes me how much our teamwork and mutual encouragement pushed us both further than we had expected. Adam’s support made a huge difference, always willing to organise Teams calls and practice moots whenever we reached out. I already know that my legal analysis will be far stronger going into second year as a result of participating in this competition.
To any first-year student unsure about mooting: please do not be put off by thinking it is above your current ability. You never know until you try! Looking back, it has been the most formative experience of my first year of law school.
Arwyn Hocking
This competition was unlike any mooting I have done before. We were given the scenario and the rules of the competition back in the beginning of May and the finals day concluded on the 18th of July. Over a month’s preparation went into this, long nights reading cases and a lack of sleep memorising legal principles – but I do not regret any of it. Adam Nicholls was an amazing help throughout it all.
Preliminary rounds: Took place over two days with 3 moots – a practice round which was not scored, a round as the respondent and then again as the appellant.
This day was incredibly tough, having to speak into a screen for 10 minutes at a time, respond to judicial intervention and listen to the other side. A practice round with Adam our mooting coach the night before hugely benefited us because when faced with questions I knew how to better react and respond. Our hard work paid off because shortly after finishing our final round we received an email confirming we were through to the Final day.
The Final: It was an absolutely surreal experience, having to compete against the best of the best and seeing the judges face to face. It was a long day but we finished as semi-finalists overall, filled with confidence in our abilities and a lot more knowledge.
This experience not only aided me in securing an ‘unofficial mini-pupillage’ but has improved my mooting skills dramatically. In the research department I now know where to look for cases, how to find the important parts and how to cite properly but also my oral advocacy skills.
This competition has cemented me knowing that I want a career at the Bar and I would definitely encourage first years to compete in this competition. It was a massive learning experience, improved many of my skills and was such an amazing opportunity. I now feel ready to compete in more mooting competitions in second year.
If you would like to find out more about mooting and competitions, get in touch with Adam Nicholls via email.