Mooting successes showcase student passion
MLS students celebrate at the national rounds of the 2026 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Canberra.
Melbourne Law School students have demonstrated the strength of the School’s mooting culture in recent national competitions, achieving outstanding results across administrative, contract, and international law moots.
From the Administrative Review Tribunal Moot, to the Annual Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot and the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, MLS students have demonstrated their passion for mooting craft.
It is something Dean Michelle Foster has admired during her first year as Dean.
“I have been delighted to meet so many of our talented and passionate students and witness the high level of engagement in all that MLS has to offer. The breadth and depth of activities, events, competitions, and opportunities supported by the many and varied student groups and organisations is truly impressive, and the care and support shown by my professional and academic colleagues in supporting and providing opportunities is inspiring,” she said.
“I have been particularly pleased to see the high level of participation in student competitions, including moot competitions - opportunities that are not only effective in developing essential legal skills but in forming friendships and connections.”
Jessup moot
The 2026 MLS Jessup moot team has returned to Melbourne following a successful competition at the Australian national rounds in Canberra last month.
The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the world's largest moot court competition and welcomes participants from nearly 700 law schools across 100 countries and jurisdictions.
Cases simulate disputes between states before the International Court of Justice and teams prepare oral and written pleadings arguing applicant and respondent positions.
The team from Melbourne Law School of Eva Hill, Maddy Mulligan, Tracy Chen, Emma Woo and Ben Solomon demonstrated dedication and collaboration throughout the summer, strengthened by the guidance of their coaches, as well as the generous support of MLS faculty members, Jessup alumni and the broader legal community.
In Canberra they reached the quarterfinals and narrowly missed the semi-finals by a single point after a hard-fought round against Macquarie University, who went on to compete in the grand final. In addition to the team's success, Maddy Mulligan was recognised as one of the top 10 speakers in the competition, and the team overall won Second Best Respondent Memorial in Australia.
Annual Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot
At the 13th Annual Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot hosted by the Victoria Law School at Victoria University, an MLS team of Jay Foster, Maggie Orr, Thomas Woods and Thomas Gilbert reached the semi-finals and ranked third of 30 teams. Mr Gilbert was also ranked the second-best speaker in the general rounds. A second MLS team of Pinidu Chandrasekera, Matthew Griggs, Elena Murphy and Samuel Roussos also participated with distinction.
The MLS team at the 13th Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot, from left, Jay Foster, Thomas Woods, Maggie Orr, Thomas Gilbert, Matthew Griggs, Elena Murphy, Samuel Roussos, and Pinidu Chandrasekera.
Administrative Review Tribunal moot
JD students Eleanor MacLaren, Joel Ochana and Victoria Streeton Cook won the Inaugural Administrative Review Tribunal Moot, defeating 16 teams from 10 universities. Competing against Monash University in the grand final, MLS students mooted in front of a distinguished panel that included the Tribunal’s President Justice Emilios Kyrou, Deputy President Kruna Dordevic, and Senior Member Tamara Hamilton-Noy, with each round adjudicated by ART members.
The inaugural moot held in October replaced the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal moot with the grand final at the Tribunal's Melbourne Registry. Cases in each of the competition’s four rounds explored administrative law across scenarios drawn from the realistic scenarios of the Tribunal’s jurisdictional areas.
Tribunal’s President, Justice Emilios Kyrou AO, Deputy President Kruna Dordevic, and Senior Member Tamara Hamilton-Noy together with (from left to right) Victoria, Eleanor and Joel.