# English-Speaking Union Moot

The English-Speaking Union Moot, also known as, by virtue of a sponsorship arrangement with Essex Court Chambers, the ESU-Essex Court Chambers National Mooting Competition, or simply the ESU Moot, is the longest-running national mooting competition in the UK, involving teams of law students from universities across the country. The first grand final was held in 1972. The competition is run by Oxford Brookes University under the chairmanship of Eric Baskind, a visiting research fellow at the university. The president of the competition is The Right Hon. Lady Arden of Heswall DBE, Justice of the UK Supreme Court.

## History

In addition to being the oldest mooting competition, the ESU moot is also the largest of its kind, accepting entries from universities across the legal jurisdictions of the UK. Originally, the ESU moot was known as the Observer Moot, and has been known by its current name since 2000. Legal Week currently acts as the competition's media partner.

## Format

The competition takes a knockout format, with 6 rounds, the last two of which take place on the same day. While the number of rounds require 64 participants, there is facility for more competitors than this, with special arrangements made to have pre-competition rounds to whittle the competitors down to 64.
Each round must be completed by a particular preset deadline, with one team being designated the host, and is thus responsible for securing a judge and organising facilities for the moot. All finalists and semi-finalists are presented with monetary prizes. In addition, the winners are awarded the Silver Mace, and the runner's up the Scarman Shield.

## Previous winners

| Year | Winner |
| 2024 | University of Greenwich |
| 2023 | University of Southampton |
| 2022 | Oxford Brookes University |
| 2021 | King's College London |
| 2020 | Queen Mary University of London |
| 2019 | Oxford Brookes University |
| 2018 | University of Salford |
| 2017 | Newcastle University |
| 2016 | Oxford Brookes University |
| 2015 | Oxford Brookes University |
| 2014 | Liverpool John Moores University |
| 2013 | University College London |
| 2012 | Oxford Brookes University |
| 2011 | University of Glasgow |
| 2010 | University of Oxford |
| 2009 | University of Manchester |
| 2008 | University of Hertfordshire |
| 2007 | Liverpool John Moores University |
| 2006 | Queen Mary, University of London |
| 2005 | City University, London |
| 2004 | University of Bristol |
| 2003 | University of Liverpool |
| 2002 | University of Southampton |
| 2001 | Middlesex University |
| 2000 | Kingston University |
| 1999 | University of Greenwich |
| 1998 | University of Aberdeen |
| 1997 | University of Cambridge |
| 1996 | University of Bristol |
| 1995 | University of Leicester |
| 1994 | University of Edinburgh |
| 1993 | King's College London |
| 1992 | University of Birmingham |
| 1991 | University of East Anglia |
| 1990 | Nottingham Trent Polytechnic |
| 1989 | King's College London |
| 1988 | University of East Anglia |
| 1987 | Essex Institute of Higher Education |
| 1986 | Polytechnic of Central London |
| 1985 | University of Lancaster |
| 1984 | University of Bristol |
| 1983 | University of Hull |
| 1982 | Polytechnic of Central London |
| 1981 | Queen Mary College |
| 1980 | Queen Mary College |
| 1979 | School of Oriental and African Studies |
| 1978 | Queen Mary College |
| 1977 | University of Leicester |
| 1976 | University of Leicester |
| 1975 | Mid Essex Technical College |
| 1974 | University of Leicester |
| 1973 | University of Leicester |
| 1972 | University College London |