By Michelle Lee Shu Ling*
The United Kingdom and Eire Malaysian Law Students’ Union (KPUM) is proud to continue strengthening our collaboration with City Law School (CLS). Over the past few years, CLS has been a valued supporter of KPUM’s efforts to nurture the next generation of Malaysian lawyers, both academically and professionally.
We are excited to share that CLS is now an official sponsor of KPUM, marking an important milestone in our relationship. This sponsorship recognises our shared commitment to empowering Malaysian law students through opportunities for advocacy training, practical experience, and professional development in the United Kingdom.
CLS has been instrumental in supporting KPUM’s flagship events. We are deeply grateful to CLS for generously allowing KPUM to host our mooting competitions on their campus, not just once, but twice. Their hospitality and logistical support have enabled us to deliver high-quality events that provide our mooters with invaluable exposure to real-world legal practice.
Most recently, KPUM had the honour of hosting the United Kingdom Mooting Competition (UKMC) 2025 Semi-Final and Final rounds at CLS on the 28th of March 2025. This event marked the culmination of months of hard work and meticulous planning by KPUM’s Skills Enhancement Department (SED), whose efforts were instrumental in bringing the competition to life. The four highest-scoring teams from the virtual preliminary rounds had the opportunity to showcase their advocacy skills and argue complex legal issues before a distinguished panel of three judges.
UKMC 2025 was proudly held in collaboration with Shearn Delamore & Co., one of Malaysia’s leading law firms, which has long supported KPUM. In addition to sponsoring the event, Shearn Delamore & Co. generously sent two respected partners, Mr. Anand Raj and Mr. Koo Yin Soon, to adjudicate the Semi-Final and Final rounds.
We were also privileged to have Ms. Anna Banfield, a respected Programme Director of the BVS and Senior Lecturer from The City Law School, serve as the presiding judge for the Final round. Her presence on the judging panel greatly enriched the competition, offering our mooters critical feedback, academic expertise, and a deep understanding of advocacy at the highest level. The mooting competition focused on contract law, which made Ms. Banfield’s involvement particularly fitting, as she specialises in civil litigation, a field closely related to the issues mooted in the competition.
The mooting competition was a resounding success, drawing Malaysian law students from universities across the United Kingdom, such as the University of Cambridge, King’s College London, the London School of Economics, Durham University, Cardiff University, and many more. Throughout the competition, the mooters demonstrated exceptional analytical ability, advocacy skills, and composure under pressure, qualities that will serve them well as they progress in their legal careers.
The City Law School’s strong mooting tradition and state-of-the-art facilities, such as the holding rooms and moot court, provided the perfect backdrop for the event. The support from CLS, both as a sponsor and as a host, made it possible for KPUM to deliver a competition that met the highest standards. We are proud to have maintained the tradition of excellence that both KPUM and CLS hold dear.
In addition to hosting the UKMC 2025, CLS has played a pivotal role in supporting the professional development of KPUM members. Alongside the mooting competition, CLS, in collaboration with our Careers Development Department (CDD), facilitated pupillage interviews for Malaysian law firms on the 28th of March 2025. This initiative provided students with invaluable opportunities to secure pupillage offers while still studying in the UK. By enabling Malaysian firms to conduct interviews conveniently at City Law School, KPUM, with the support of CLS, helps students navigate one of the most challenging transitions in their legal careers. This initiative underscores our commitment to not only supporting our members’ academic journeys but also assisting them in launching successful professional pathways.
Looking ahead, KPUM is committed to continuing and expanding this partnership. We are exploring opportunities to organise future events, including advocacy classes, networking sessions, and mentoring initiatives with the support of CLS. These programmes will further enhance the skills, confidence, and professional readiness of Malaysian law students across the UK.
The City Law School’s sponsorship of KPUM and their ongoing support of our activities reflect a shared belief in the importance of nurturing diverse legal talent for a globalised world. Malaysian students form a vital part of the vibrant legal community in the UK, and partnerships like ours help realise their full potential.
As KPUM continues to grow, we are grateful for the trust, resources, and encouragement The City Law School has provided. We look forward to building on the strong foundation we have established, offering even more opportunities for our members to develop, connect, and excel.
On behalf of KPUM, the Skills Enhancement Department (SED) extends our heartfelt thanks to The City Law School for their ongoing support of the moot competition and pupillage interviews. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Adrienne Yong and Ms. Nikki Walsh, whose dedication and consistent communication with us played a vital role in making this moot competition possible. We are excited about what lies ahead and are confident that together, we will continue empowering Malaysian law students to achieve excellence both in the UK and beyond.
* The author is a Third-year Bachelor of Laws (Honours) student at Cardiff University, Director of the Skills Enhancement Department (SED) at KPUM
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