Competition Rules

The Times 2TG Moot Rules

Definitions

  1. In these Rules the following words and expressions shall have the following meanings:
    • 2TG:
      2 Temple Gardens, Barristers Chambers
    • Authority:
      A judicially decided case at any level and in any jurisdiction or a citation from a text book or an article or a UK statute or other source
    • Closing Date:
      5 June in the Competition Year
    • Competition:
      The Times 2TG Moot, being the national student mooting competition established by these Rules and announced in The Times newspaper in the early part of each year and concluding with a Grand Final in the February/March of the following year
    • Competition Year:
      The period from the announcement of the Competition to the conclusion of the Competition
    • The Coordinator:
      The member of 2TG appointed by the Organisers for the Competition Year
    • Moot:
      A written and/or oral argument presented to a Moot Judge by Teams in the course of a Round in accordance with these Rules. Each Moot will be argued on the basis of English law as it stands at the date of the Moot
    • Moot Judge:
      A person appointed by the Organisers to judge a moot whether alone or with other Moot Judges. Where there is more than one Moot Judge, references to Moot Judge in these Rules is to be taken as a reference to all or any one of them.
    • Mooter:
      A Participant who makes oral or written submissions in the course of a Moot
    • The Organisers:
      2 Temple Gardens, Barristers Chambers
    • Participants:
      Students who complete a registration form and submit a written argument in the prescribed form in accordance with these Rules
    • PDF Format:
      A computer file in Adobe Acrobat (“pdf” suffix) format
    • Round:
      Consideration of written arguments from the Participants from which Teams shall proceed to the Second Round and Third Round, and/or a series of Moots or a Moot at the conclusion of which half or fewer of the Teams participating shall be winners and half or more shall not progress further in the Competition.
    • The Rules:
      This document
    • Submission:
      An entry in the Competition by a Team consisting of a written argument in accordance with these Rules
    • Team:
      Two Participants who have entered the competition as a pair
    • Word Format:
      A computer file in Microsoft Word format

The Competition

  1. The Competition shall be known as the “The Times 2TG Moot”. The Competition shall be organised by 2 Temple Gardens, Barristers Chambers. These Rules may be amended from time to time. It is the responsibility of Participants regularly to check the Rules for amendments.
  2. The Competition shall consist of 5 (five) rounds, as further outlined in these Rules.
  3. Overall responsibility for the running of the Competition and the interpretation of these Rules rests with the Organisers and the Coordinator.
  4. The Organisers shall not be responsible for the Participants’ costs and expenses.
  5. In the absolute discretion of the Organisers and the Coordinator an ex gratiapayment may be made to Participants in the in-person rounds as a contribution to travel and/or accommodation costs.

The Teams

  1. Participants must be in teams of two individuals. All Participants must, at the time of registration for the Competition, be a full-time or part-time student at a higher or further educational establishment in the United Kingdom.
  2. Team members may not be substituted in any circumstances. If a single team member is not available on the date of a Moot due to sickness or other exceptional circumstances the Coordinator may, in their absolute discretion, allow the remaining Team member to conduct the Moot on behalf of both Participants in the Team. Such discretion will only normally be exercised if the circumstances preventing the absent Team member’s attendance were outside of his/her control. It is not anticipated that it would ever be appropriate to exercise this discretion twice for the same team in a single Competition.
  3. An individual who has won the Moot or participated in the Grand Final in any previous Competition Year is ineligible to be a Participant in any subsequent Competition Year.
  4. An individual is ineligible to be a Participant if they:
    • Are under investigation by one of the Inns of Court and/or the Bar Standards Board in relation to a breach of the BSB Handbook;
    • Have been found guilty of a breach of the BSB Handbook; or
    • In the opinion of the Coordinator, is or has been engaged in conduct which would tend to bring the profession and/or the Moot into disrepute.
  5. A Participant who, during the lifetime of the Competition, comes within any of the categories set out at paragraph 10 above must alert the Coordinator as soon as possible. The Participant may be disqualified from the Competition at the Coordinator’s absolute discretion.

Registration

  1. The Teams must register, by 23:59 on the Closing Date, their interest in the Competition at https://www.2tg.co.uk/the-times-2tg-moot/registration/ by completing in full the electronic registration form or returning a completed version of the electronic registration form to the following email address: timesmoot@co.uk.
  2. Each Participant must provide at least one email address and one mobile telephone number per Participant by which the Organisers can contact the Team. Changes in email address or telephone number must be notified by the Participant to the following email address: timesmoot@2tg.co.uk.
  3. Contact by the Organisers with one Team member shall be deemed to be contact with both Team members.

Competition Format and Timetable

  1. The Competition will consist of 5 (five) rounds as follows:

Round 1

  1. The Moot Problem for Round 1 will be made available on the Competition Website https://www.2tg.co.uk/the-times-2tg-moot/ on or before 8 May in the Competition Year.
  2. The Organisers will not as a general rule give further clarification or answer requests for further information in relation to the facts stated in the moot problem.
  3. Each Team must submit, by email to timesmoot@2tg.co.uk, a single written argument as directed in the Moot Problem in response to the Round 1 Moot Problem by 23:59 on the Closing Date. Entries sent after this date will be disregarded and senders of such written arguments shall not be Participants in the Competition.
  4. The written argument must be:
    • In Word Format and as an attachment to the email;
    • No longer than 2 A4 pages in length (including the heading);
    • Written in Times New Roman font, 12 point, 1.5 line spacing, without any footnotes; and
    • Contain within the body of the skeleton argument the names of the Team members.
  5. The Round 1 Moot Problem will include all of the relevant facts that Participants are to rely upon.
  6. The Moot Problem gives further instructions to limit the use of Authorities.
  7. Following a review of the Round 1 Submissions the Organisers will select the Teams to progress to Round 2. The Organisers will review the Submissions of all teams. Teams will be notified by email as to whether they have progressed to Round 2.

Rounds 2 and 3

  1. Rounds 2 and 3 will take place remotely, by video or telephone link. Rounds 2 and 3 will consist of two Moots on a single day in w/c 1 July 2024.
  2. Teams will be notified in advance via their nominated email address of the arrangements for the Round 2 and Round 3 Moots and must respond to this email promptly, and in any event within the time period stipulated by the Organisers, to confirm their attendance (remotely) at Round 2 and Round 3.
  3. Rounds 2 and 3 will involve consideration of a Moot problem which will be emailed to Teams, at their nominated email addresses, no later than 2 weeks prior to the date of the Moot. Teams must prepare argument on behalf of both the “appellant” and the “respondent”. Whether the Team is to argue on behalf of the appellant or the respondent in Round 2 will be decided by the drawing of lots no later than 30 minutes prior to the team beginning oral submissions. Lots will then be re-drawn in respect of the successful Teams prior to Round 3.
  4. The Organisers will not as a general rule give further clarification or answer requests for further information in relation to the facts stated in the moot problem.
  5. The Moot problem will include, as electronic attachments, the Authorities upon which the Teams are permitted to rely (in PDF Format). No other Authorities may be relied upon in the Round 2 or Round 3 Moots. Written skeleton arguments may not be submitted in Rounds 2 and 3.
  6. It is the responsibility of the Teams to have available to them printed or electronic copies of the Moot Problem and Authorities.
  7. Submissions in Rounds 2 and 3 will take the following format:
    • Each Team member will be permitted to make oral submissions for 7 minutes;
    • The clock will not be stopped for judicial interventions;
    • At 7 minutes, the mooter will be required to cease making submissions;
    • The Moot Judge may allow additional time in his/her absolute discretion;
    • The speaking order will be:
      • Lead Appellant;
      • Lead Respondent;
      • Junior Appellant;
      • Junior Respondent.
  1. The Round 2 and Round 3 Moots will be decided by a Moot Judge. The Judge may, in their discretion, give judgment on the legal problem which has been argued and may also, at their discretion, provide some comment on the advocacy style of the mooters.
  2. At the end of Round 2 the number of teams in the competition will have reduced to 16 Teams. At the end of Round 3, the number of teams in the competition will have reduced to 8 Teams.

Round 4: Quarter-Final

  1. Subject to Government guidelines at the time, the Quarter-Final will take place in person. The Quarter-Final will consist of a single Moot, and will involve consideration of the Quarter-Final Moot problem. The Quarter-Final will be held in w/c 23 September 2024.
  2. Teams will be notified in advance via their nominated email address of the arrangements for the Quarter-Final Moot and must respond to this email promptly, and in any event within the time period stipulated by the Organisers, to confirm their attendance (remotely) at the Quarter-Final.
  3. The Organisers will draw, at random, the individual Moots and will allocate the role of Appellants or Respondents to the Teams at the same time as teams are notified of the arrangements for the Semi-Final.
  4. The Moot problem will include, as electronic attachments, the Authorities upon which the Teams are permitted to rely (in PDF Format). No other Authorities may be relied upon in the Quarter-Final Moot. Written skeleton arguments may not be submitted in the Quarter-Final.
  5. It is the responsibility of the Teams to have available to them printed or electronic copies of the Moot Problem and Authorities.
  6. Submissions in the Quarter-Final will take the following format:
    • Each Team member will be permitted to make oral submissions for 7 minutes;
    • The clock will not be stopped for judicial interventions;
    • At 7 minutes, the mooter will be required to cease making submissions;
    • The Moot Judge may allow additional time in his/her absolute discretion;
    • The speaking order will be:
      • Lead Appellant;
      • Lead Respondent;
      • Junior Appellant;
      • Junior Respondent.
      1. The Quarter-Final Moot will be decided by a Moot Judge. The Judge may, in their discretion, give judgment on the legal problem which has been argued and may also, at their discretion, provide some comment on the advocacy style of the mooters.
      2. At the end of the Quarter-Final the number of teams in the competition will have reduced to 4 Teams who will progress to the Semi Finals.

      Round 5: The Semi-Finals

      1. Subject to Government guidelines at the time, the Semi Finals will take place in person in w/c 4th November 2024. The four participating Teams will be notified, via their nominated email addresses, of the dates of the Semi Finals and the Moot problem will be sent to the Teams, also via their nominated email addresses, no later than 3 weeks prior to the date of the Moot together with details of the Moot.
      2. Teams must respond to this email promptly, and in any event within the time period stipulated by the Organisers, to confirm their attendance at the Semi Finals.
      3. The Organisers will not as a general rule give further clarification or answer requests for further information in relation to the facts stated in the moot problem.
      4. The Moot problem for the Semi Finals will include, as electronic attachments, the Authorities upon which the Teams are permitted to rely (in PDF Format). No other Authorities may be relied upon in the Semi Finals. Written skeleton arguments may not be submitted in the Semi Finals.
      5. The Teams are to bring to the Moot at least one printed copy of the Moot problem and Authorities for each Team member. Hard copies of the Moot problem and Authorities will not be provided by the Organisers.
      6. Teams must prepare argument on behalf of both the “appellant” and the “respondent”. Whether the Team is to argue on behalf of the appellant or the respondent will be decided by the drawing of lots no later than 30 minutes prior to the team beginning oral submissions.
      7. Submissions in the Semi Finals will take the following format:
        • Each Team member will be permitted to make oral submissions for 10 minutes;
        • The clock will not be stopped for judicial interventions;
        • At 10 minutes, the mooter will be required to cease making submissions;
        • The Moot Judge may allow additional time in his/her absolute discretion;
        • The speaking order will be:
          • Lead Appellant;
          • Lead Respondent;
          • Junior Appellant;
          • Junior Respondent.
          1. The judge may, in their discretion, give judgment on the legal problem which has been argued and may also, at their discretion, provide some comment on the advocacy style of the mooters.
          2. Two Teams will progress to the Final.

          The Final

          1. Subject to Government guidelines at the time, the Final will take place in person in early 2025. The two participating Teams will be notified, via their nominated email addresses, of the dates of the Finals and the Moot problem will be sent to the Teams, also via their nominated email addresses, no later than 3 weeks prior to the date of the Moot together with details of the Moot.
          2. Teams must respond to this email promptly, and in any event within the time period stipulated by the Organisers, to confirm their attendance at the Finals.
          3. The Organisers will not as a general rule give further clarification or answer requests for further information in relation to the facts stated in the moot problem.
          4. The Moot problem for the Finals will include, as electronic attachments, the Authorities upon which the Teams are permitted to rely (in a PDF bundle Format). No other Authorities may be relied upon in the Semi Finals.
          5. The Teams are to bring to the Moot at least one printed copy of the Moot problem and Authorities for each Team member. Hard copies of the Moot problem and Authorities will not be provided by the Organisers.
          6. Whether the Team is to argue on behalf of the appellant or the respondent will be decided by the drawing of lots. Each team will be informed as to which party they are representing in the competition via their nominated email addresses at the same time as they are sent the Moot problem and bundle. Each team is to prepare a typed skeleton argument, no longer than five sides of A4 paper, 1.5 spaced, 12pt font. Each team is to send to the Organisers via email their skeleton argument no later than 4pm 7 days prior to the date of the Moot. The Organisers will provide a copy of the opposing Team’s skeleton argument to each Team by no later than 4pm 3 days prior to the date of the Moot.
          7. Submissions in the Finals will take the following format:
            • Each Team member will be permitted to make oral submissions for 15 minutes;
            • The clock will not be stopped for judicial interventions;
            • At 15 minutes, the mooter will be required to cease making submissions;
            • The Moot Judge may allow additional time in his/her absolute discretion;
            • The speaking order will be:
              • Lead Appellant;
              • Lead Respondent;
              • Junior Appellant;
              • Junior Respondent.
              1. The judge may, in their discretion, give judgment on the legal problem which has been argued and may also, at their discretion, provide some comment on the advocacy style of the mooters.
              2. One Team will be selected as winner, and the other Team as Runner-Up.

              The Prizes

              1. The winning Team of the Competition will receive £1,500 i.e. £750 for each mooter, and the opportunity for each Team member to undertake a mini-pupillage at 2 Temple Gardens.
              2. The runner-up Team will receive £1,000 i.e. £500 for each mooter and the opportunity for each Team member to undertake a mini-pupillage at 2 Temple Gardens.

              General

              1. These Rules are subject to English law and jurisdiction.
              2. Participants understand and agree that neither Times Newspapers Limited nor any company associated with it is a party to these Rules or will be liable thereunder.
              3. The Coordinator and Organisers may in their absolute discretion waive any requirement under these Rules provided that in their opinion such a waiver does not unfairly prejudice another team or teams which remain in the competition to a material extent.
              4. Any claim or complaint for breach of these Rules must be communicated in writing to the Organisers within 3 months of the breach or it is irrevocably waived.
              5. Mooters are allowed to receive support from third parties (for example a teacher or lecturer) provided that the content of their submissions (oral and written) remains their own original work.

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