BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
The legal profession is widely considered one of the most ancient and revered career paths one may embark on. It has been, however, argued that its allure and enduring charm can be solely attributed to its distinct language and manner of communication.
In recent times, however, there has been a surge in the demand for legal education but the existing course structure concentrates on the substantive and procedural aspects of the law, while very limited emphasis is placed on helping budding lawyers develop the skills of oral advocacy and legal persuasion.
THE NATIONAL MOOTING COUNCIL (NMC)
In its bid to close this rift and similarly advance the frontiers of legal education; the Institute For Legal Research & Advocacy For Justice (ILRAJ) organized moot court competitions to present students with a live simulation of court proceedings with seasoned legal practitioners as judges. This exercise saw college students argue cases before a moot session of the African Court Of Human & People’s Rights (ACHPR) & Ecowas Court of Justice.
Inspired by this transformative experience, exposure and outlet provided by ILRAJ, a group of students decided that teaching others the valuable skills acquired during the competition would be the most ideal way to preserve the culture of mooting and help prepare other colleagues for intense courtroom encounters; and so the National Mooting Council was formed, predominantly to complement the efforts of ILRAJ in building the body of knowledge in the legal community.
WHO WE ARE
We are a consortium of young visionaries from different colleges who recognize the profound significance of possessing sound advocacy abilities coupled with a firm grip on the court’s language.
WHAT WE DO
- Promote the culture of mooting among law students in Sierra Leone.
- Facilitate the training of law students who aspire to be mooters and prepare such students for national and international moot competitions.
- Organise workshops, trainings and seminars on oral and written legal advocacy for students.
OUR GOAL
To collaborate with the Institute for Legal Research & Advocacy For Justice (ILRAJ) institution to organize moot court competitions, train intending participants and generally equip budding lawyers with critical skills upon which they can build.