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Public Interest Law Moot Court Competition

CALS is proud to partner with the 足球竞彩app排名 Litigation Society (SLS) to host the annual Public Interest Law Moot Court Competition. We invite law students from any university in South Africa to participate

While South Africa has seen significant gains since transitioning to a constitutional democracy, there is still much work to be done to ensure true equality and social justice for all. South Africa needs a new generation of human rights lawyers with the energy, ingenuity and skill to respond to the ongoing socioeconomic and political fallout from the issues we still face today. The Public Interest Law Moot Court Competition aims to expand the social justice sector by introducing law students to the prospects of a fulfilling career in public interest law. 

Competition objectives 

  1. Offer public interest litigation as a viable and fulfilling career option for law students
  2. Assist law students interested in human rights law to build skills in research, writing, analysis and oration 
  3. Supplement the law curriculum by giving participants the opportunity to grapple with complex and emergent human rights issues while using a constitutional lens 
  4. Provide an opportunity to model both the soft and hard skills at the core of litigating in the public interest 
  5. Provide participants with the opportunity to build a community with fellow students interested in public interest lawyering 
  6. Introduce participants to the wide variety of organisations and individuals doing work in the public interest sector 
  7. Deepen students’ understanding of South Africa’s history which underpins present structural inequalities, poverty, and discrimination whose dismantling lies at the heart of public interest lawyering 

足球竞彩app排名 the organisers  

The Centre of Applied Legal Studies (CALS) is South Africa's oldest public interest law organisation based at the Wits School of Law. CALS is also a law clinic registered with the Legal Practice Council. As such, our organisation connects the worlds of academia and social justice through research, advocacy and litigation.

The 足球竞彩app排名 Litigation Society (SLS) advances practical legal education at an undergraduate level with the aim of equipping students and prospective legal practitioners with the skills required in the legal profession. Find out more about the 足球竞彩app排名 Litigation Society

Follow #PILMOOT on Facebook and Twitter to follow the developments of the competition.

Watch the video below for highlights from the final rounds of the 2021/2022 PIL Moot Court Competition. 

Participant Information

Eligibility Requirements 

足球竞彩app排名s taking Law courses in their second to fifth year at any university in South Africa may enter. Each participating team must comprise of two to three law students registered with the same university. Prospective participants are required to acquaint themselves with the eligibility requirements contained in the Competition Rules before registering.

Information Pack

The Participation Information Pack contains this year's hypothetical case along with the competition rules. Prospective participants MUST ensure that they download this document as its contents will enable you to successfully participate in the competition. 

The Information Pack for the 2025 / 2026 Moot will be available from 17 November 2025. 

Prizes

足球竞彩app排名s from the winning team will have the opportunity to be preferentially considered for a fully paid internship at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies. 

Competition Timeline

11 November 2025: Registration opens and clarification-seeking period begins 

7 January 2026: Registration closes and clarification-seeking period ends

PRELIMINARY ROUNDS

10 January 2026: Deadline for written submissions  

15 January 2026: Release of shortlist of top 32 teams and court directives issued 

17 February 2026: Deadline for supplementary written submissions

QUARTERFINALS (16 teams)

24 February 2026: Announcement of top 16 teams 

26 February – 12 March 2026: Masterclasses

13 – 14 March 2026: Virtual oral rounds 

SEMIFINALS (4 teams)

20 March 2026: Announcement of semi-finalists

23 April 2026: Oral submissions 

FINALS (2 teams)

23 April 2026: Announcement of finalists

24 April 2026: Oral submissions

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