Team 3 cops victory at inaugural Justice Ian Neville Chang Mooting Competition
After a fiercely contested legal battle marked by sharp advocacy and strategic argumentation, Team Three—comprising Judah Ferreira, Jennylyn Edwards, and Kelisha Mentore—emerged as champions of the inaugural Justice Ian Neville Chang Mooting Competition, hosted by the Moot Court Guyana (MCG).
MCG is a student-led organisation within the Department of Law of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Guyana (UG). MCG is dedicated to enhancing the advocacy skills of Bachelor of Laws (LLB) students through debates, mooting competitions, impromptu speaking competitions, and other advocacy-related competitions. This mooting competition is designed to encourage law students to explore complex legal issues and refine their advocacy skills, alternating yearly between Criminal Law and Constitutional Law scenarios.
Retired Justice Kenneth Benjamin, Justice Peter Hugh, Justice Josiah-Graham, acting Chief Justice, Roxanne George SC and acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards, participants and members of MCG
In the finals, Team One (Shamar Sukhu, Fabian Green, and Jagnanand Jailal) faced Team Three (Ferreira, Edwards, Mentore) in a compelling match-up in which Team Three emerged victorious with 72.5 points, narrowly edging out Team One, who scored 70 points.
Judah Ferreira was awarded Best Advocate, and Kelisha Mentore received the award for Best Researcher.
The finals were held on Thursday, last was presided over by Justice Peter Hugh.
The scenario was crafted by Attorney-at-Law Chevy Devonish, and the round was witnessed by several members of the judiciary, including acting Chief Justice, Roxane George SC and acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards, along with practicing attorneys and other distinguished guests.
At the closing ceremony, both Justice Benjamin and Yogini Maharaj, a representative of the Chang family, delivered remarks.
Justice Benjamin highlighted Justice Chang’s extensive contributions to the legal landscape and commended the students for their bravery and performance in the competition. Maharaj shared a deeply personal tribute to Justice Chang, describing how Chief Justice was not merely an occupation for him but an integral part of his identity. She recalled his deep passion for the law, how he would purchase new legal texts as soon as they were released and study them extensively, often highlighting nearly every page. She recounted a memory where, during her own studies, he effortlessly directed her to a rare case hidden among his meticulously organised books. She emphasised how he valued substance over formality and frequently held informal legal seminars for both junior and senior lawyers, always eager to share his insights. These are the very qualities that Justice Ian Neville Chang Foundation aims to inspire in upcoming legal professionals.
In addition to partnering with MCG, the Justice Ian Neville Chang Foundation awards prizes annually to the top Criminal and Constitutional Law students from UG, as well as to the best performers in Civil and Criminal Procedure and Practice at the Hugh Wooding Law School, both institutions that Justice Chang attended.
The Foundation has also earmarked a building to be developed into a Legal Research Centre, providing a space for students and young lawyers to access a wide range of legal resources. Furthermore, the Foundation is in the process of compiling and publishing Justice Chang’s most impactful decisions for the benefit of the legal community.
