ILAQ is proud to support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students’ Moot Competition in partnership with North Quarter Lane Chambers and Allens.

The 2025 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students’ Moot Competition was held on Tuesday 23 September 2025 in the Brisbane Supreme and District Court, with teams competing from Bond University, Griffith University, QUT (Queensland University of Technology) and University of Southern Queensland.

The Moot is intended to provide a gateway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island students to engage in the practice of commercial law and, if that is their calling, to progress to the bar one day. The competition is intended to promote students’ understanding of commercial law and develop their advocacy skills, while also providing an opportunity to find out what mooting at university is like and create networks across the legal industry.

The Final Round was held in the Banco Court before the Honourable Chief Justice Bowskill, the Honourable President Mullins AO and the Honourable Justice Crowley. First Place was awarded to Christine Conn and Degenhard Beschel from QUT, with Second Place awarded to Jazmin Grant and Harris Martens from Bond University. Both teams demonstrated incredible talent, and were praised by the Judges for making submissions with a quality comparable to many experienced legal professionals.

The prize for Best Oral Submissions was awarded to Jazmin Grant, and the prize for Best Written Submissions was awarded to Jayden Apps, Austin Mann and Destinee Whirisky from Griffith University.

All of the students demonstrated incredible capability, and undoubtedly have bright futures ahead of them.

ILAQ would like to thank everyone that volunteered their time to judge the competition: the Honourable Chief Justice Bowskill, the Honourable President Mullins AO, the Honourable Justice Crowley, His Honour Judge Rafter SC, Magistrate Sarra, President Stilgoe, Member McNamara and Michelle Bannister.

History of the Moot

In 2014, two of Australia’s top tier law firms, Allens and Ashurst, were developing their respective Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP).  Upon realising that each firm shared a common goal of creating a moot for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, the firms worked together to develop the project.

At the same time, the Bar Association of Queensland developed its inaugural RAP under the leadership of Ken Barlow QC, member of North Quarter Lane Chambers and Chair of the RAP Working Group.

In 2014, Allens approached North Quarter Lane Chambers to assist in arranging the moot alongside Ashurst. In 2015, the partnership was expanded to include the Indigenous Lawyers Association of Queensland as another major stakeholder in the event.

In May 2015, the inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students’ Moot was held in the Banco Court of the QEII Law Courts Complex.  The then Honourable Chief Justice McMurdo presented Candice Hughes and Michelle Rabbidge from the Queensland University of Technology as the inaugural moot winners.

Since then, the competition has grown each year, and continues to receive the support of the Queensland legal profession.