School pupils and legal figures to descend on Parliament House for Bar National Mock Trial Competition final

Eighteen schools have qualified through regional heats to contest the final on Saturday 28 March, with Mackie Academy of Stonehaven, Scottish champions for the last two years, carrying the home hopes.

The competition, in its 24th year, is organised by the Citizenship Foundation and is sponsored by the General Council of the Bar of England and Wales, the four Inns of Court and the local Bar Circuits.

In Scotland, it is supported by the Faculty of Advocates, and in Northern Ireland by the Bar Council of Northern Ireland.

With help from volunteer legal professionals, students take on the roles of prosecutors, defence lawyers and witnesses in trials for drug possession and theft.

In the final, the teams will be judged by distinguished legal figures includingLord Justice Leveson (pictured), Lord Justice Davis, Lady Rae, James Wolffe, QC, dean of Faculty, and two senior members of Faculty, Herbert Kerrigan QC, and Brian McConnachie QC, as well as Mark Mulholland QC, from the Bar Council of Northern Ireland and Andrew O’Byrne QC, Leader of the Northern Circuit of the Bar of England and Wales.

Prizes will be presented by Robert Rinder, barrister and ITV’s Judge Rinder.

Lady Rae said: “I have been involved with the Citizenship Foundation’s competition for some years and consider it a most worthwhile project providing young people with an opportunity to learn about court procedures and perform in front of real judges.

“The standard of pleading and acting is impressive. They exude so much confidence and enthusiasm for the competition. It is obvious that the advocates who work with the young people and their teachers give a lot of their own time to this project. The organisers deserve congratulation. May it continue!”

Kenneth Campbell QC, the Faculty’s representative on the Bar National Mock Trial working party, said: “We are delighted to welcome competition participants from all parts of the country to Parliament House, the historic home of the Court of Session.

“This is the third time we have hosted the national final, and I know that the competition provides a lively mix of exciting competition and real insight into the range of work done securing justice by people of all kinds involved in the court system.”