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The Common Law Section offers a wide variety of internal opportunities for students interested in pursuing studies in Advocacy.  Our two internal moots, the Nelligan O’Brien Payne Moot Court Competition and the Gowling WLG Moot Competition, offer first-year students a chance to get hands-on experience in appeal scenarios while developing written and oral advocacy skills. 

Participation in a first-year moot also allows students to evaluate whether they have the ability and interest to take part in one of the many external moot court competitions available to upper-year students.  We sponsor many competitive advocacy teams that have achieved great success at both national and international levels in subject areas that range from criminal law to international commercial arbitration. Upper-year students may also select from a wide range of optional advocacy courses, including intensive practical courses in trial advocacy or interviewing, counselling and negotiation. 

Also available are opportunities to work at one of the law school’s three legal clinics:  the �糵����-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic, the University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic and the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC).  These clinics blend legal pedagogy with hands-on public interest and community advocacy, giving students access to practical training and experience.

Common Law’s many internal opportunities can help to equip students with everything they need to pursue a successful career in advocacy.

Each year, the Common Law Section sends advocacy teams across Canada and around the world to compete in a wide range of moot court competitions.  Students and coaches from the law school have succeeded in establishing the University of Ottawa as a leading institution in some of the most prestigious competitions at home and abroad.

Many competitors have also distinguished themselves with individual awards, demonstrating first-class advocacy skills and strong abilities in trial and arbitration scenarios.  The law school takes great pride in the performance and achievements of each of its teams and salutes the hard work, dedication and team spirit of all coaches and competitors.

2025 Competitive Moot information

• Tryouts for the 2025-2026 academic year will take place between September 17-20, 2025.
• If you want to try out for both English and French/bilingual moots, you’ll need to try out twice—once on the 18th, and once on one of the English moot days. Please be sure to reserve two spots if that applies to you.
  • To reserve a spot for English tryouts, follow (You must use your �糵���� email address)
  • To reserve a spot for the French/bilingual tryout, follow (You must use your �糵���� email address)
• Once all spots are filled, we will add more spots.
• In addition to reserving a trial spot, we ask that you upload a motivation letter (optional), an up-to-date (unofficial) transcript (required), and a class schedule showing your availability for the fall, January, and winter terms (required).

Below is the list of moots and their credit allocation:

English Moots : Sept 17, 19 & 20

• Vis (CML3128W)- Fall & winter credits
• WTO (CML 3139J)- January & winter credits
• Walsh Family Law Moot (CML3120J3) - January & winter credits
• Bowman (CML3120J5)- January & winter credits
• Fox IP Moot (CML3184F &3185J) Fall & January
• Copyright “Moot” Fall & January
• Oxford Moot (CML3184F &3185J) Fall & winter
• Competition Law - January & winter credits
• Canadian Corporate/Securities Competition CML3140J – 3 January credits only
• Willms & Shier Environmental Law Moot CML3132J – 3 January credits only
• Intact Torts (CML3120 J7)- 3 January credits only

French and Bilingual Moots: Sept 18

• Rousseau (CML 3514J HA) - January & winter credits
• Laskin (CML 3923 J) - January & winter credits
• Coupe Guy-Geurin (CML 3515J) - January & winter credits* 3 credits; if team advances 6 credits
• Bastarache (CML3520 HA) - January & winter credits
• Concours de plaidoirie en droit de l'immigration, des réfugiés et de la citoyenneté - (CML 3520J)- January & winter credits
• Ottawa/Moncton (CML 3524J) – 3 January credits only

Separate tryouts outside the September 17-20 period

• Arnup Cup (Criminal law – Potentially leading to Sopinka) January & winter credits* 3 credits; if team advances 6 credits
• Corporate Securities (CML 3140) 3 January credits only
• BLSA Julius Alexander Isaac Diversity Moot
• National Aboriginal Law Moot: Kawaskimhon Moot
• Walsh Negotiation Competition
• Foreign Direct Investment Moot
• Space Law Moot
• Client Consultation

Not all competitive moots are offered every year due to budgetary constraints.

If you have questions, please email Professor Anthony Daimsis at [email protected].