The Witness Examination Competition is a fantastic opportunity to test your advocacy skills and experience witness examination and cross-examination first-hand. The competition is staged as a mock court hearing, with each competitor acting as counsel either for the plaintiff/prosecution, or for the defence. Presented with the facts of the case, competitors must examine and cross examine witnesses in front of a judge. Competitors must demonstrate their ability to follow lines of questioning to obtain facts, and to present a compelling argument, with the winners proceeding to national and potentially international

events.

Negotiation is an important skill in all walks of life, and the Negotiation Competition is a unique opportunity to cut your teeth in a competitive negotiating environment. Competitors negotiate in teams of two to agree on a business deal or resolve a dispute between parties. Each team receives a set of common facts and a set of confidential facts specific to their client. Within a 50 minute negotiation period, teams are expected to reach an agreement between the parties. This is followed by a private 10-minute post-interview with the judges, where each team reflects on their performance and assesses their ability to effectively communicate, problem-solve, and protect their client’s interests. SOULS runs both a senior and a junior Negotiation Competition, with senior winners representing Otago at a national level, and internationally if successful.

Mooting is widely considered among the most prestigious and competitive of the law competitions, and for good reason; the Mooting Competition is staged as a mock appellate court hearing, with teams of two acting as counsel for the appellant and the respondent, respectively. Competitors are assessed on the quality of their written submissions including their research of the issues and ability to present a strong legal argument, as well as their oral submissions before the judging bench, which includes answering judges’ questions as they arise. SOULS runs both a senior and a junior Mooting Competition, with senior winners representing Otago at a national level, and internationally if successful.