Students from the Huish Law School have won the South Wales regional heats of the Bar Mock Trial Competition for the third year in a row.
This year’s heat was held at Cardiff Crown Court on Saturday 7 November and the victory means the team will progress to the national finals in March 2027, where they will aim to defend their national title.
Huish students were required to present both prosecution and defence cases in R v Reid, a dangerous driving case, and to represent the defence in R v Kapoor, a complex bribery case. The juries agreed with the team’s arguments in two of the three cases they contested.
Huish Law School is part of Richard Huish College in Taunton, Somerset, and offers A-level Law and practical legal training.
Rob Durdin, who teaches law at Huish, said: “I could not be prouder of this team. Their commitment, resilience and willingness to put in the hard work behind the scenes has been extraordinary. Mock trial success is never achieved on the day alone, it is earned through weeks of preparation, practice and collaboration.”
Huish students drew high praise from judges throughout the competition, with one commenting: “If I could retire today, I would know that the legal profession was in the best possible hands.”
Rowena Mudge, law course manager, explained how the continued success of Huish’s students was helped by the school’s chamber sponsors, Albion Chambers in Bristol and 8 New Square Chambers in London.
Both chambers provide financial backing and give students direct access to practising barristers who volunteer their time to coach and mentor.
Ms Mudge said: “The support we receive from Albion Chambers and 8 New Square Chambers is absolutely invaluable. Their commitment gives our students opportunities that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom, helping them develop the confidence, resilience, communication and advocacy skills that underpin successful legal careers.”
Richard Huish College is a state sixth-form college with residential boarding in Taunton, Somerset.