2016 Bar Mock Trial

The Citizenship Foundation and the Bar Council of Northern Ireland celebrated the 25^th Anniversary of the Bar Mock Trial Competition this year.

Schools from across the province worked hard on building their arguments and analysing their case before adopting the roles of barristers, witnesses and juries to run cases live in front of senior members of the Bar and judiciary. The Bar Mock Trial aims to teach students about their rights and better understand the justice system. Congratulations to St Dominic’s who won the Belfast Heat of the competition in the Royal Courts of Justice on the 19th November and to Hazelwood who won the North West Heat on Saturday 10^th December.

Liam McCollum QC, Chairman of the Bar Council was a competition judge said;

“I want to congratulate all the students who took part in the Bar Mock Trial Competition, the standard was exceedingly high and the level of work and dedication from the pupils and their teachers was clear to all the judges.

The Bar is pleased to welcome the Mock Trial Competition each year but this year was especially important as it marked the 25^th anniversary of a project which gives pupils an innovative perspective of the justice system and its processes. Many thanks to the members of the Bar and judges who volunteer their time and who without the competition would be impossible to run.”