MOOT COURT DEBUT

 

                         Image from Pexels by Katrin Bolovstova

Fear took the better part of me as I stood in the University of Nairobi moot court room, feeling the weight of my newly black coat. The moot court room was not like any other classroom but a stage for combat where arguments backed by legal justifications was my weapon and a sole defence. I was about to start pleading before the learned judges, my first big moot, the annual All Kenya Moot Court Competition.

 

My co-counsel, Emmanuel seemed to be composed and that gave me a reassuring gesture. My fear started to deplete, changed into courage and determination. We might have been the underdogs, amateurs but we were armed with months of research, sleepless nights and a strong quest to emerge triumphant. The thirty minutes we were allocated by the court proved not to be enough and we struggled to finish our submissions. I never worried about that as I chased quality over quantity as I was earlier informed by my coach, Trevor Kamau.

 

Constitution of Kenya, case laws and precedents were used as a rallying cry and I encountered demur demanding quick reasoning. The presiding judge, Michael watched me closely and interrogated each and every argument I raised. I was upset by the questions of the judges, but it was the norm and they were in charge. I had no option but to think on my feet. As the questions intensified, demanding deep legal knowledge and analogy “I stand guided” became the anaphora and echoed the entire court room.

 

With time, my voice grew stronger with each argument. Although we did not win the oral category, Cherie, our researcher emerged the winner of the research category. That was a win for all of us. We became experienced mooters. We faced tough opponents and held our own. We were no longer law students, we were mooters! Later in the evening, I relaxed with my teammates laughed about our near victories and the courage we showcased in front of veteran judges and students.

 

The experience left a spot on my calendar. It taught me the reality that victory is not only winning trophies and money but is also about lessons learned, making new friends who encourages you to bounce back in life and the confidence gained to face the day to day challenges of the legal career. Moving forward with my legal career, the skills and the experience I developed in the moot court through thorough research, teamwork and passion will be my guiding compass.

 

In conclusion, the moot court taught me to be resilient, hardworking and always take defeat as a learning experience. Even in defeat, there is growth. The fact that I participated at an early stage made me to become an outstanding student among my peers.

 

By Ahmedrashid Burow, a law Student at the University of Nairobi.