Kent Law School students Daniel Cornford and Owen Mearing have continued the University’s success in the National First Year Moot Competition, reaching the final of the national advocacy competition in their first year of studying law.
Their achievement follows the success of Kent students Ella Hudson and Iris Chapman Green, who were crowned National First Year Moot champions in 2025, meaning Kent Law School has now reached the final of the competition for two consecutive years.
For Daniel and Owen, however, the experience was about much more than reaching the final. From learning how to defend their arguments under pressure to developing confidence in their own abilities, the competition gave them an opportunity to put the practical advocacy skills they had begun developing at Kent into action.
Two different routes to Kent
Daniel chose Kent because of the opportunities he believed the Law School could provide, both academically and professionally.
“I’d looked closely at the Law School’s alumni network and its reputation. And of course, Canterbury, which speaks for itself.”
For Owen, starting an LLB at Kent represented a significant career change.
After several years working in the maritime insurance industry in London, Owen found himself becoming increasingly interested in the legal aspects of claims handling. Eventually, he decided to return to university and pursue that interest through a law degree.
“After many years of not having to look at the UCAS website, I applied once more to universities and came to study at the University of Kent.”
An offer-holder day helped convince him Kent was the right choice. He was particularly attracted to the Law School’s critical approach to studying law – exploring not simply what the law says, but how it operates in practice, who benefits or is disadvantaged and why.
The opportunity to volunteer with Kent Law Clinic also appealed, as did Kent’s green campus and its location in Canterbury.
Taking on a national mooting challenge
The National First Year Moot Competition is an advocacy competition specifically for first-year law students. Participants examine a legal problem, research the relevant law, prepare written submissions and argue points of law on behalf of a fictional client before a mock appellate court.
Daniel became involved after completing Kent’s First-Year Lawyering Skills Programme, which had given him an introduction to advocacy just months into his degree.
For Owen, entering required a little more persuasion.
“When I first saw the email circulated by Darren Weir, Director of Lawyering Skills, presenting this opportunity to first-years, I readily dismissed the idea of my participation. I didn’t believe that I would make it through the preliminary rounds, let alone make it to the final.”
After considering how much he could learn from the experience – and some encouragement from another student – Owen decided to enter.
It proved to be a very good decision.
Preparing their arguments
Daniel and Owen were tasked with arguing two grounds of appeal in a public law case, focusing on natural justice and bias.
Their preparation involved researching the relevant law, identifying their strongest arguments and anticipating both the weaknesses in their case and the challenges they might face from their opponents and the bench.
Owen immersed himself in the moot problem, researching textbooks, law reports and legal databases before developing arguments for both the appellant and respondent.
Daniel believes their different approaches made them particularly effective as a team.
“I believe Owen and I have complementary skill sets. He was exceptional at consolidating the law and making sure that the arguments he advanced were absolutely watertight.”
Owen similarly credits their success to teamwork and preparation.
“I was very fortunate to be paired alongside Daniel, who took the leading role of senior counsel and presented on the first ground of appeal.”
“I believe we managed to reach the final through the volume of preparatory work we put into our submissions. This hard work was reflected in the quality of our skeleton arguments and bundles, and in our knowledge of the relevant law.”
Building confidence under pressure
As Daniel and Owen progressed through the competition, they faced repeated questioning from the bench, requiring them to defend their interpretation of the law and respond to challenges in the moment.
As Daniel says, learning to embrace that pressure became one of the biggest benefits of the experience.
“Having to repeatedly defend our position against questioning from the bench pushed me to become more comfortable thinking on my feet and responding to challenges.”
“By the later rounds I had developed considerably more confidence in my ability to perform under pressure, and by the end I had come to relish it.”
The feedback they received from experienced practitioners was another highlight.
“I was fortunate to hear directly from people with considerable experience of advocacy, and their observations gave me a much clearer sense of both what I do well and where I need to improve.”
Daniel also valued the opportunity to meet other competitors and hear about their routes into law, as well as networking with practitioners involved in the competition.
Likewise, as Owen says, the experience strengthened his legal research skills and gave him practical experience of preparing materials using tools employed by practising barristers and judges.
But perhaps his most important lesson was learning not to rule himself out before trying.
“I came to realise that I shouldn’t discount my chances of success before I have actually set out to achieve anything.”
“I may not have been wholly confident going into this competition, but having reached the final and gained some confidence in my abilities, I realised that confidence cannot arise before attempting a particular task, but only after.”
Where next?
The experience has also helped both students think about where their law degrees might eventually take them.
Daniel is keeping his options open but says that his first-year experiences have made the Bar an increasingly compelling prospect.
“I care about our justice system and the issues it confronts, and I have some exciting opportunities ahead that will help me work out where I want to take that interest.”
Owen’s previous career continues to shape his ambitions. He currently hopes to qualify as a solicitor specialising in shipping law, combining his legal studies with the knowledge he gained from working in maritime insurance.
Daniel and Owen’s advice for new law students
Take the opportunities in front of you
Daniel encourages new students to explore opportunities even when they don’t know where they might lead.
“Take what the University puts in front of you, and then go looking for more. Don’t limit yourself. Find out what you enjoy by putting yourself somewhere unfamiliar.”
Don’t be intimidated
For anyone considering mooting, Daniel’s advice is not to be distracted by the achievements or experience of other competitors.
“You might find yourself competing against students with flawless academic records and prior mooting wins. Then you sit opposite them, make your argument, and realise they are just another person who has turned up to compete. Don’t be intimidated!”
Don’t rule yourself out
Owen initially doubted whether he would make it through the preliminary rounds. Reaching the national final changed his perspective: confidence does not necessarily come before taking on a challenge – sometimes it develops because you were willing to try.
Learn from legal professionals
Owen also recommends Kent Law School’s Practitioner Master Classes, where legal professionals visit the Kent Moot Court to share insights into different areas of practice.
“These talks are always interesting and engaging. They present a great opportunity to network and also learn about the realities of different areas of law. This is especially useful for people who may not be sure as to the area of law they wish to pursue.”
Reaching the national final in their first year was an impressive achievement. Following Kent’s victory in the competition in 2025, Daniel and Owen’s success also continues a growing tradition of first year students putting the advocacy skills developed at Kent to the test on a national stage.
Darren Weir, Director of Lawyering Skills added; ‘I think it is fair to say that Daniel and Owen now have the mooting bug. I knew when I teamed them up that they would work well together. They have a similar approach to their studies and are very committed students. I have big hopes for them as they progress through their academic journey’.
