by second year student Simerjit Reyat.

Mooting has been the most rewarding experience I have undertaken while studying law at the University of Reading. Mooting is not only the closest experience any law student can get to truly appearing in an appeal court, but it also encourages personal enrichment through the development of various skills. After a successful audition, I was selected to participate in the National Student Law Society external mooting competition.

This was the first year that I began mooting therefore I was very new to the concept however, I found that the level of support and encouragement from the Law Society and Dr Amy Codling, who is the mooting coordinator, was exceptional.

The first round of the competition was against the University of Hertfordshire therefore, my mooting partner (second year student, Abhirami Babu) and I travelled to Hertfordshire and mooted in the Universities Law Court Building. Upon arrival we were greeted with a very warm welcome by both the staff and students. As I stepped into the mock court room I was stunned at how realistic it appeared. I felt as though I had been transported into a real court of appeal and was representing a real respondent.

During the moot there was an audience supporting our opponents which was initially extremely intimidating however, when presenting my submission I found that I became so immersed in my argument that I forgot that anyone was watching. Moreover, the judge was a local barrister who provided extensive judicial intervention which encouraged me to think quickly on my feet while remaining poised under increasing pressure. He also provided critical feedback at the end of the moot to aid personal improvement.

Overall, it was an unparalleled opportunity which allowed me to delve into the legal world and gain an insight which no book could possibly provide. Mooting requires a lot of hard work and long hours in the library, but it is a worthwhile experience which everyone should take advantage of!