Appleby’s Bermuda office recently concluded its second annual summer internship mock trial, known as a “moot court” competition, on 7 August.
Over the course of 8-weeks, six summer interns (Kyla Lowe, Owen Neal and Seon Tatem who served as the ‘Plaintiff’ team, and Ashley Attride-Stirling, Thomas Evans and Juron Tucker who served as the ‘Defendant’ team) were involved in comprehensive preparation leading up to the mock trial which was designed to simulate real-world legal challenges, with Kyla Lowe, Seon Tatem, Thomas Evans and Juron Tucker competing the day of the moot.
The moot competition focused on the Sale of Goods Act 1978, involving a dispute regarding whether a recently purchased broken television was of merchantable quality. Over the 8-weeks, the interns were introduced to various aspects of legal practice and attended workshops, including bundle creation and advocacy training sessions, designed to prepare them for trial.
Dispute Resolution Senior Associate James Sellick, and Counsels Jordan Knight and Anna Markiewicz provided invaluable support to the interns throughout the mock court project. Special thanks to returning interns Max Blakeney and Louis Hammond for also assisting.
The competition was intense, with the teams showcasing impressive drive, determination and enthusiasm throughout. The winner of the legal case was team ‘Plaintiff’, and the winner of the overall Appleby Moot was team ‘Defendant’ in consideration of their argument drafting, bundle creation, timeliness of submissions, trial preparedness, and overall performance during the trial. Both teams demonstrated exceptional collaboration and diligent preparation, while illustrating their outstanding skills in drafting and general practice management.
Brad Adderley, Managing Partner in Bermuda commented, “At Appleby we believe that immersive real-world experience builds the best foundation for a successful legal career. We are pleased to provide this experience through our internships, intensive mock trial project, and later through our 2-year trainee programme. Congratulations to our interns for their hard-work throughout the comprehensive mock trial project. Thank you to our lawyers and other members of our team that were instrumental in another successful summer internship programme and moot court competition.”
John Wasty, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution in Bermuda, added: “Thank you to James, Jordan and Anna for expertly managing the moot court project—each a valued member of Appleby’s Dispute Resolution team. Their expert training and guidance gave our interns a rare opportunity to develop practical advocacy, analysis, and strategic skills through this unique moot court experience. Well done to all our summer interns.”
Appleby looks forward to welcoming next year’s moot competition and continuing to offer programmes that sharpen skills and inspire future lawyers. Ambitious candidates are encouraged to explore our internships and training programme. Visit our website or contact our HR team for more info.
