University celebrates emerging legal talent in Africa

School pupils from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe took part in the African Schools Mooting Competition 2024 which saw them make legal submissions for and against a fictitious legal appeal. Over 20 schools participated in the training, with 12 advancing to the final competition, with each team mooting twice, once on behalf of the appellant, once for the respondent. A team from Ghana has won for the first time, breaking the winning streak of Kenyan schools from 2021 - 2023.

After two excellent performances, led by this year’s Champion Mooter (Phebe Tweneboah), Tema International School, Ghana, were announced as 2024 African Champions. The team from Chisipite Senior School, Zimbabwe, finished First Runners Up, with Ghana International School, Second Runners Up.

The University of Dundee celebrates 5 years of Mooting in Africa this year. The competition was established in 2019 and began with short in country events. In 2021 due to the global pandemic, the competition transitioned to an online format, increasing accessibility and allowing more schools to participate and compete against each other schools from across Africa.

The programme now includes six months of online training, with lectures, seminars, and workshops provided by staff and students from the University of Dundee Mooting Society. Participating schools have their first competitive experience of mooting with the internal competition in January and then receive more training, before competing against schools from other African countries in March.

In addition to team awards, the prize giving recognises students who achieve outstanding proficiency in mooting and who receive a Certificate of Excellence. It also recognises a Champion Mooter from each participating country and the overall winners.

Professor Peter McEleavy, University Academic Lead for Africa and founder of the African Mooting Programme, said, “It has been so rewarding for the Dundee Africa Mooting Team to see the programme grow year on year and the pupils develop such proficiency in legal argument and mooting over the six months of training. This year it was an incredibly close fought competition with only a few points separating the top 3 teams. The programme requires enormous dedication from the pupils and their teachers but gives them a fantastic insight into the study of law and University life. The competitors who then come to study at Dundee Law School have a real head start in their legal education.”

Mr Louis Welagaamo, ATL Coordinator/Language & Literature Teacher and Patron of the Tema International School Mooting Society, Ghana, said,“If there ever was an opportunity for students to become critical in their thinking and effective in the expression of their ideas while keeping an open mind, it would be the University of Dundee African Schools Mooting Competition, and this is why we look forward to not just the competition but also the interaction prior, every year!

“We are glad to have won it this year after coming close on too many occasions in the past. We do not know if we will be the first to defend the trophy next year or if we will make the podium at all. What we know for a fact, however, is that we will never let go of the opportunity that the competition offers towards the growth and development of students.

“Our heartfelt thanks to the University of Dundee's Mooting Facilitators, especially Prof. McEleavy for his immense support over the years.”

Anna Maame Yaa Borbi pursued an English Law LLB at the University of Dundee and completed her degree in 2024. Previously, Anna was a student at Ghana International School, where she took part in the University of Dundee African Mooting Competitions in 2019 and 2021. 

Anna said, "The Mooting competitions helped me improve my writing skills, by becoming more concise and informative. They also further developed my public speaking skills and confidence. 

“At the time, I did not know which UK university I wanted to attend. The Mooting competitions, scholarship opportunity, and the option to study English Law were ultimately why I chose the University of Dundee. 

“I am grateful for the experience and lessons the University of Dundee has enriched my life with. My journey from Mooting to graduation has made my school and parents proud."

The competition continues to develop, and the University looks forward to welcoming new schools to the competition next year.

The University has a long and distinguished history of training lawyers who go on to practise law in common law jurisdictions globally. Dundee is ranked in the Top 15 for Law in the UK in the Good University Guide from The Times and Sunday Times 2024.

The University of Dundee offers law degrees in English Law (three years), Scots Law (four years) and a Dual Qualifying LLB combining Scots and English Law (four years).

African Schools Mooting Competition 2023-24

Bridge House College, Lagos, Nigeria

Brookhouse International School, Nairobi, Kenya

Chisipite Senior School, Harare, Zimbabwe

D’Ivy Sixth Form College, Lagos, Nigeria

Ghana International School, Accra, Ghana

Oshwal Academy Senior High, Nairobi, Kenya

School of the Nations, Kenya 

Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj Senior School, Nairobi

St Andrews School, Turi, Kenya

Tema International School, Ghana

The Regent College, Abuja, Nigeria

Westerfield College, Lagos, Nigeria