Learning through simulation in the moot practice: a teaching strategy to improve university legal education within the framework of the EHEA

Authors

  • KATIA FACH GÓMEZ Universidad de Zaragoza Spain
  • ALEXANDRA RENGEL Schiller International University Spain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24310/REJIE.2014.v0i9.7729

Keywords:

EHEA, legal teaching, moot practice, moot court, moot trial, moot arbitration, creative teaching, small group instruction, coaching, simulated environment, experiential learning, learner engagement, curriculum enrichment, professional skills

Abstract

This article examines the relevance of the phenomenon on of moot competitions and moot practice in legal education and it is intended to reflect on the degree of implementation of this practice in Spanish law schools and the applicability in the general legal education to Spanish students. After explaining the origin of the word moot terminology and explain the different types of kangaroo courts that are covered under this generic nomenclature currently, presents the historical evolution of moot practice in common law countries and also shows what are the most famous contemporary moot competitions internationally. For Spain, are also described the few moot activities that have been implemented in the country and outlines what are the elements that characterize the moot currently practice in Spain. Regarding moot methodology, this article explains the most important phases of these legal drills and activities to develop the students in each. This leads to systematically present, as a result, the benefits of the practice moot for all stakeholders-students, faculty, academic institutions, society, and the shortcomings that today is attributed to this educational activity. In terms of the findings and possible prospective actions, this work proposes to give more importance to moot curricular practice in Spain, suggesting a number of measures to be taken from different areas for this practice matures in our university and thus assists in the implementation of the EHEA in Spanish universities.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

KATIA FACH GÓMEZ, Universidad de Zaragoza

Profesora Titular de Derecho Internacional Privado de la Universidad de Zaragoza

ALEXANDRA RENGEL, Schiller International University

Profesora de Derecho Internacional en la Schiller International University, Madrid Campus

References

BALENOVI, N., KAUFMAN, D., LACMANOVI, N., NAGY, T., y ŠTRITOF, B. (1998), “The Perspective of the Team Members. The Willem C. Vis International Arbitration Moot”, Croatian Arbitration Yearbook, vol. 5 235-240. http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/moot/zagreb.html.

BERGSTEN, E. (1999), “The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. The Perspective of the Organizer”. Croatian Arbitration Yearbook, vol. 6: 167-172.

BUCHOLTZ, B. K., FREY, M., TATUM, M. (2002), The Little Black Book: A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Law Student Competitions. Durham: Carolina Academic Press.

CROWNE-MOHAMMED, E. A., HASTIM, M. R., BARBERO, M. P. C. (2010), “No Longer a Moot Point: The Importance of Advocacy in the Law School Curriculum”, Advocates' Quarterly, vol. 37, n. 3: 367-371.

DI MARI RICKER. (1997), “Winning Moot Court Brief Writers Share the Secrets of Their Linguistic Success”, Student Lawyer, 8.

DICKERSON, D. (2000), “In re Moot Court”, Stetson Law Review, vol. 29: 1119-1227.

DIMITRI, J. D. (2008), “Stepping Up to the Podium with Confidence: A Primer for Law Students on Preparing and Delivering an Appellate Oral Argument”, Stetson Law Review, vol. 38, n. 1: 75-105.

EIGEN, Z. J., LISTOKIN, Y. (2011), “Do Lawyers Really Believe Their Own Hype and Should They?: A Natural Experiment”, Yale Law & Economics Research Paper No. 412. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1640062.

FANEGO OTERO, J. D., GARCÍA ALONSO, B., MORENO LÓPEZ, P., PÉREZ RODRÍGUEZ, D., y SERRANO DE HARO SÁNCHEZ, A. (2009), “OMC, Universidad Autónoma y la práctica de los moot courts”, Revista Jurídica Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, vol. 20: 185-193.

GABRIEL, H. D. (1999), “Preparation and Delivery of Oral Argument in Appellate Courts”, American Journal of Trial Advocacy, vol. 22: 571-577.

GARNER, B. A. (ed.). (1999), Black´s Law Dictionary, Eagan: Thomson Reuters.

GIBSON, C. S. (2009), “The Foreign Direct Investment International Moot Competition”, Suffolk Transnational Law Review, vol 32: 247-261.

GRAVES, J. M., VAUGHAN, S. A. (2006), “The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot: Making the Most of an Extraordinary Educational Opportunity”, Vindobona Journal of International Commercial Law and Arbitration, vol. 10: 173-206.

GUGLYA, L. (2008), “Oral Advocacy Training: A Beginner's Look at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot from a Coaching Perspective”, Vindobona Journal of International Commercial Law and Arbitration, vol. 12: 125-138.

HERNÁNDEZ, M. V. (1998), “In Defense of Moot Court: A Response to “In Praise of Moot Court - Not!”. The Review of Litigation, vol. 17: 69-72.

IGLESIAS VÁZQUEZ, M. A. (2009), “Simulación de juicios: Los moot court”, en Goñi Rodríguez de Almeida, M. (Ed.), Enseñar Derecho en el Siglo XXI: una guía práctica sobre el grado en derecho (273-284). Madrid: Aranzadi.

INGLEHART, E. L., Kanter, M. (2009), “The Real Word: Creating a Compelling Appellate Brief Assignment Based on a Real-World Case”, Northwestern University School of Law, vol. 17. http://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1189&context=facultyw orkingpapers.

KENETY, W. H. (1995), “Observations on Teaching Appellate Advocacy”, Journal of Legal Education, vol. 45: 582-586.

KNEWSTON, H. S. (2012), “Engaging Learners in the Finance Discipline: Active Based Learning with Freshman Business Students”. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2131527.

KOZINSKI, A. (1997), “In Praise of Moot Court-Not!”. Columbia Law Review, vol. 97: 178-186.

KRITCHEVSKY, B. (2006),“Judging: The Missing Piece of the Moot Court Puzzle”, University of Memphis Law Review, vol. 37: 45-74.

LAI FEATHERMANN, E. (2006), “ICODR. Preparing for a Virtual Practice Grounded in Real World Moot Competitions”, The University of Toledo Law Review, vol. 38: 389-394.

LEBOVITS, G. (2008), Winning Oral Argument. Do’s And Don’ts. Queens Bar Bulletin, vol. 72, n. 2: 1-2.

MARTÍNEZ CANELLAS, A. M. (2009), “Teaching Law In English In Spain, Following The Problem Solving Method: One experience. Enseñanza de Materias Jurídicas en Inglés Siguiendo el Método del Caso: Una Experiencia”, Investigació i Innovació Educativa i Socioeducativa, vol. 1, No. 1: 27-36.

NATHENSON, I. S. (2009), “Best Practices for the Law of the Horse: Teaching Cyberlaw Through Simulations”. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1469703.

NEIRA LÓPEZ, A. (2007), “Los Moot Court”, Revista Jurídica Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, vol. 15: 267-281

RACHID, M. (2000), “Brief story of Moot Court: Britain and U.S”. http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED442343.

RAYMOND, C. (2010), “An Experiment in Teaching International Relations: The Effects of a World War I Role-Playing Simulation on Student Performance”, APSA 2010 Teaching & Learning Conference Paper. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1544609.

RYCHLAK, R. J. (1997), “Effective Appellate Advocacy: Tips from the Teams”, Mississippi Law Journal, vol. 66, No. 3: 527-566.

SÁNCHEZ, L. J. (2008), “Arbitraje internacional: triunfo español en el certamen mundial Vis Moot”, Iuris: Actualidad y práctica del derecho, vol. 127: 6-8.

SHULMAN, M. R. (2007), “Moot Court on Global Language of Trade, Op-Ed on the Vis Court”. New York Law Journal. http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/biblio/shulman.html.

SHEPARD, R. T. (2002), “The Special Professional Challenges of Appellate Judging”, Indiana Law Review, vol. 35: 381-391.

SIKIRIC, H. y PETROVIC, S. (1998), “The Perspective of the Coaches. The Willem C. Vis International Arbitration Moot”, Croatian Arbitration Yearbook, vol. 5, 235-240. http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/moot/zagreb.html.

SIRICO, Jr. L. J. (1998), “Teaching Oral Argument”, Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research and Writing, vol. 7: 17-20.

SMITH, D. E. (2010), “Mini-Moot Court: Use of Abbreviated Simulation in Teaching Constitutional Law,” APSA 2010 Teaching & Learning Conference Paper. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1548923.

TUERKHEIMER F. (1995), “A More Realistic Approach to Teaching Appellate Advocacy”, Journal of Legal Education, vol. 45, n 1: 113-118.

WAINCYMER, J. (2001), “International and Comparative Legal Education through the Willem C. Vis Moot Program: A Personal Reflection”, Vindobona Journal of International Commercial Law and Arbitration, vol. 5: 251-283.

WEIZER, P. I. (ed.), How to Please the Court: A Moot Court Handbook. Nueva York: Peter Lang.

WEXLER, D. B. (2010), “Retooling Reintegration: A Reentry Moot Court”, Irish Probation

Journal, vol. 7: 94-107.

WHEELER, S. M. (2006), “Role Playing Games for Political Science”, Academic Exchange Quarterly, vol. 10: 155-160.

Additional Files

Published

2014-01-01

How to Cite

FACH GÓMEZ, K., & RENGEL, A. (2014). Learning through simulation in the moot practice: a teaching strategy to improve university legal education within the framework of the EHEA. Revista Jurídica De Investigación E Innovación Educativa (REJIE Nueva Época), (9), 23–48. https://doi.org/10.24310/REJIE.2014.v0i9.7729

Issue

Section

Artículos