Kirby Moot

The Annual Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot Competition is hosted by Victoria Law School at Victoria University (VU).

This four-day annual competition is open to teams across Australia. It is one of the largest moot court competitions in Australia, and has been running since 2011. It is Australia’s only Contract Law Moot. Winners of this competition win prize money and usually go on to compete in international mooting competitions.

Mooting is the oldest form of legal training for law advocates. At many universities, mooting competitions can be selected as an elective unit in your undergraduate law degree.

The Kirby Moot demonstrates VU’s strong industry connections. It is a fixture in the legal calendar and has strong support from the County Court of Victoria, members of the Victorian Bar, various law firms and practical legal training institutions. Law professionals are invited to judge the rounds and provide feedback to students.

Kirby Moot competition 2023

We are pleased to announce that the 11th Annual Kirby Contract Law Moot 2023 will run 25-28 September 2023.

This year’s competition will be conducted in-person at Victoria Law School, 295 Queen Street, City Campus. Only two teams per university will be eligible to register.

Team registrations

Registration costs $850 (incl. GST) per team.

Register your team

Judge registrations

Law professionals are invited to judge the rounds and provide feedback to participating students.

Register as a judge

Volunteer & observer registrations

Students, teachers and members of the public are all invited to watch any of the 2023 Kirby Moot Competition rounds. In addition, secondary school students can participate as volunteers.

Register as a volunteer or observer

Key dates

Registrations and RSVPs:

Competitor and team registration open Thursday 1 June – Friday 21 July
Judge registration open, 1 July - 21 August
Volunteer and observer registration open, 1 July - 21 August
RSVPs for the cocktail party closes, Friday 8 September.

Moot problem, clarifications and written responses:

Release of Moot problem, Monday 19 June
Clarification questions submissions close (email kirbymoot@vu.edu.au), Friday 21 July, 11.55pm
Memoranda for claimant submissions close (email kirbymoot@vu.edu.au), Friday 11 August, 11.55pm
Memoranda for respondent submissions due (respondent submissions can be generically written, email kirbymoot@vu.edu.au), Monday 4 September, 11.59pm
Exchange of memoranda, Friday 8 September, 11.59pm.

In-person Moot and events:

Oral hearings in Melbourne (VU's College of Law & Justice, Queen Street, Melbourne), 25-28 September
The Annual Michael Kirby Oration Ceremony, Wednesday 27 September, 5.30pm
Semi-final 1, semi-final 2 and final, Thursday 28 September
Presentations and cocktail party, Thursday 28 September, 7pm.

Panel at the Hon. Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot Court Competition.

Michael Kirby Justice Oration

Established in 2010, the annual Michael Kirby Justice Oration provides a platform for leaders within our community to share their experiences, deep understanding, knowledge and reflections on issues of justice.

2023 oration details

Date: Wednesday 27 September
Time: 5.30pm
Location: 295 Queen St, Melbourne 3000

Reflections on the role of advocates confronting power

This year's Michael Kirby Justice Oration (2023) will be a reflection on the role of advocates when facing injustice and the abuse of power, and the critical role advocates now play in our society.

Ranging across time and place, our Orator, Barrister Julian McMahon AC SC will reflect on:

the role of an advocate as symbol and actor in confronting settings
the necessity of the rule of law
the importance of advocates speaking truth to power.

From imprisoned advocates to UN enquiries, to some of the work of the Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG and our own Australian injustices. From liberal democracies to brutal regimes – this 2023 Michael Kirby Justice Oration will explore what the role of advocates has been, and now become.

Speaker

Julian P McMahon AC S.C.

Julian works mainly in criminal law. He accepts briefs in all jurisdictions.

He has been engaged in many long and complex trials, including in homicide, terrorism, corruption, drug, fraud and, outside Australia, death penalty matters. He has considerable experience in numerous overseas jurisdictions.

In 2021 Julian was made a Fellow of Monash University. In 2017 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia. He has been awarded the Law Council of Australia's President's medal, an honorary Doctorate in Law from the Australian Catholic University, the 2016 Victorian Australian of the Year, and the Victoria Law Foundation Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award.

Julian holds an Indictable Crime Certificate and is a member of the VLA Criminal Trial Preferred Barrister List.

Julian McMahon in front of shelves with large law books. Black and white photo.

Julian P McMahon AC S.C.

Event sponsors

Past competitions

Congratulations to Macquarie University for winning the 10th Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot in September 2022. The competition was hosted by Victoria University College of Law & Justice and sponsored by Leo Cussen Centre for Law.

Oration

In 2022 the Michael Kirby Justice Oration was presented by the Hon. Dr Barry Jones, AC, FAA.

2021 moot

Congratulations to Bond University for winning the 9th Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot in August 2021. The competition was hosted by Victoria University College of Law & Justice and sponsored by Leo Cussen Centre for Law, the College of Law, Thomson-Reuters, LexisNexis and Oxford University Press.

Olivia Rankine from Bond University was the Best Oralist in the quarter, Semi-final and grand final rounds.