UCD Law Students win Cape Town Convention Moot Competition
(L to R) Mr Justice Denis McDonald, Robert Grendon, Mr Justice Michael Quinn, Josh Walsh, Niamh McKnight, Robin Jowett and Ms Justice Eileen Roberts
The Cape Town Convention Academic Project held its inaugural Irish moot in Arthur Cox LLP offices on 24 June 2025. UCD was represented by Robert Grendon, Josh Walsh, Niamh McKnight and Robin Jowett.
The competition was tough and the opposing team from Trinity College were very skilled advocates, but the UCD team were delighted to be successful in the end. The moot itself was concerned with the interaction of Irish Schemes of Arrangement (Part 9 Companies Act 2014) and remedies under the Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol. It was a daunting task for the UCD students insofar as the moot scenario involved many new legal concepts. The UCD team enjoyed the incredible opportunity to present their case before three highly esteemed judges, Mr Justice Denis McDonald, Ms Justice Eileen Roberts and Mr Justice Michael Quinn. The judges provided very helpful feedback and asked many challenging but very fair questions. The students were supported in their preparations by Dr. Máire Ní Shúilleabháin and Dr. Noel McGrath of the UCD Sutherland School of Law and by lawyers from A&L Goodbody, Arthur Cox, Mason Hayes & Curran, Matheson and McCann FitzGerald.
The students would like to thank Séamus Ó Cróinín of A&L Goodbody and Jeffrey Wool of the Cape Town Convention Academic Project for organising the event.