LW3ILM-International Law Mooting

Module Provider: School of Law
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded: LW3DUG Dissertation or LW3WPP Writing Credit Pro Bono and Professional Practice or LW3RWC Research Writing Credit
Current from: 2019/0

Module Convenor: Prof James Green

Email: J.A.Green@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
Participation by a team of four students in the Telders International Law Moot Competition.

Aims:

This module provides students with the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the research and reasoning processes involved in the creation of arguments in international law, to interact with a complex substantive ‘real world’ example of a dispute between states within the discipline and to develop advocacy skills in a formal setting. 

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of this module it is expected that students will have:

• demonstrated an ability to research and apply aspects of substantive international law to disputes in practice.
  
• demonstrated of the ability to engage with the reasoning process involved in making arguments in international law, and of the process of advocacy within the discipline. 
  
• orally presented international legal arguments, as constructed by themselves, in a clear and authoritative manner, in a formal mooting context.

Additional outcomes:
Development of team building skills.

Outline content:
Not applicable

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

* This is a module based primarily upon independent study. 

• In the Autumn Term students will be required to conduct research in the field of international law based on a fictitious dispute before the International Court of Justice, upon which they will submit, as a team, two detailed Memorials. There will be discussion sessions (i.e., project supervision tutorials) led by a member of staff - who will act as the moot team's 'coach' - throughout the Autumn Term in support of the preparation of the Memorials. 
  
• During the first part of the Spring Term students will be given a tutorial on advocacy skills, and then will be required to deliver an oral presentation of their Memorial arguments and participate in three practice moots. These sessions will prepare students for the experience of mooting in an external competition.
  
• Students will be expected to utilise the skills acquired in these sessions in an assessed external moot (participation in the National Round of the Telders Competition). This will take place in the Spring Term.
  
• Please note: this is a team exercise and, as such, students accepted on this module have a responsibility to their fellow team members to complete the module barring reasonable extenuating circumstances. If the University of Reading team wins the National Round, it will be entered into the international rounds of the competition, which will take place in The Hague, The Netherlands. If this occurs, it will be expected that team members will go on to compete on behalf of the University in the international competition. However, the international competition will not be assessed as part of this module.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Tutorials		1
Project Supervision	8
Practicals classes and workshops		7
Guided independent study:	92	92
Total hours by term	8	8
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	60
Oral assessment and presentation	40

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

• Two written Memorials researched and prepared as a team to be submitted as part of the Telders Competition in the Autumn Term, arguing both sides on a fictitious international law dispute. The Memorials should follow the strict Telders guidelines for written Memorials (see The International Law Mooting Handbook). Memorials must be submitted in both hard copy and electronic form. (60% of total mark).

• Oral assessment: individual performance in the Telders Competition (UK National Round, Spring Term). (40% of total mark).

Formative assessment methods:

• In the Autumn Term, detailed written feedback is provided on submitted drafts of the summative Memorials, prior to the final submission of these Memorials.

• In the Spring Term, oral feedback is provided after the presentation, and oral and written feedback is provided after all of the 3 practice moots.

Penalties for late submission:

University penalties apply to the Memorials and portfolio: 10 mark deduction within the first week; thereafter a mark of 0.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40%

Reassessment arrangements:

This will involve one of, or a combination of, the following:



• the submission of an individual research project based on an issue of international law comparable to that assessed in the Telders Memorials.

• an individual internal presentation on a topic of international law.



Please note that only elements where a pass mark has not been secured must be retaken, with the marks for any passed elements being carried forward.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
1) Required text books:
2) Specialist equipment or materials:
3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:
4) Printing and binding:
5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:
6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:

Last updated: 8 April 2019