Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.3935/zpfz.69.2.05
Moot Court as a Method of Practical Education at Law Schools
Antonija Ivančan
orcid.org/0000-0001-7192-2449
; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Davor Petrić
orcid.org/0000-0001-7737-2150
; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Moot court is simulation of adjudication before arbitral, national or international courts, and is nowadays increasingly used as a teaching method at law schools. In this article, we first assess the main theoretical and practical elements of moot court as a teaching method. This is followed by a short, introductory empirical verification of the following research question: Does the moot court experience bring advantages for later practice to students, i.e. do, and in what way, students benefit from investing time and effort in moot court during their studies? This article also represents the first attempt of a structured academic discussion in the region about the nature and use of moot court as an educational method. Therefore, our additional goal is to initiate a wider academic dialogue on the use of this method in legal education, as well as to consider the developments in legal practice in drafting recommendations for the reform and enhancement of study programs of law schools, especially in relation to methods of practical education. After the introductory part, the article first outlines the historical development of moot court as an educational method. Then, in the main part, we offer a systematization of the current findings from literature and address specific benefits and shortcomings of moot court. In the final part of the article, we present and discuss the initial results of a brief questionnaire that was sent to law firms in Zagreb. The final section concludes with reflections on our theoretical discussion and research outcomes.
Keywords
moot court; practical education; law school; benefits and shortcomings; law firms
Hrčak ID:
220239
URI
Publication date:
13.5.2019.
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