On Thursday 18th of April, the annual Hammond Cup competition commenced at Nottingham Law School. The courtroom was filled with anticipation as the four impressive finalists prepared for what turned out to be an enthralling final. This year, the judges presiding over the event were HHJ Coupland and HHJ Owen. The presence of the Hammond family at the event is greatly appreciated, their ongoing support for the competition established by their late father, Michael Hammond, back in 1968, is truly appreciated by the Society.
The four finalists, all aspiring pupil barristers, included Dominic Parisutham from Ropewalk Chambers, Jemma Stanford from KCH Garden Square, and Amelia Whyte and Christopher Grabowski from the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Hammond Cup involves two simulated criminal trials, where each finalist takes on the role of either the prosecution or defense.
To bring the trials to life, Hannah Spicer-Short portrayed Alex Turner, Kirsty Gregson played Riley Curson, and Jim Buckley took on the role of Nathan Jones, all from VHS Fletchers. The criminal situation involves two parents, Alex and Riley, who witness road rage from Nathan Jones as he recklessly speeds through a pedestrian crossing in front of a local school. Nathan, a familiar face to law enforcement, had previously been involved in a disturbance at a Nottingham Forest football match, where he confronted a Derby County supporter - which speaks volumes....
During the initial mock trial, Amelia delivered an impressive opening statement, maintained control in her speech, and exhibited a strong stance. Her excellent questioning skills as the Prosecutor were evident as she interrogated all three actors involved.
As the criminal scenario played out, witnesses Alex Turner and Riley Curson described Nathan's faulty Octavia Skoda with a faulty accelerator as sounding like a Lamborghini speeding recklessly along the school road.
Dominic took over the questioning next, displaying calmness, control, and persistence in his defense strategy. He attempted to shift the blame onto Alex Turner as the instigator of road rage, despite Alex's testimony labeling Nathan Jones as an 'angry man in my face.'
The trial concluded with Dominic delivering an impressive closing speech. Both Dominic and Amelia showcased their ability to quickly respond to the actors' witty remarks, resulting in humorous unscripted exchanges, particularly during the discussion on 'Fight or Flight.'
HHJ Coupland also participated by posing questions to the actors before they left the stand, seeking clarification on the number of children Ms. Curson had, as she seemed to have forgotten.
After a short hiatus, the courtroom stood as the Judges entered for the second simulated trial, featuring Jemma Stanford from KCH Garden Square and Christopher Grabowski from the Crown Prosecution Service.
Jemma begins the trial with a powerful, commanding tone in her opening statement, delivering a concise and clear speech. She then proceeds to question the witnesses and the defence.
During the trial, the witnesses recalled the faulty accelerator of Nathan Jones' Octavia Skoda as sounding akin to a fighter jet. An amusing moment arose when Jemma inquired about the engagement between witness Alex Turner and Nathan Jones, leading to a humorous response from Alex, "Well, he didn't propose on one knee if that's what you're asking..." triggering laughter from the courtroom.
Ms. Curson's appearance on the stand during the trial revealed her recollection of having two children. Christopher, with his authoritative and confident demeanor, skillfully questioned the witnesses and exposed the inconsistencies in Ms. Curson's statement, highlighting her regrettable criminal history.
Jemma and Christopher both responded promptly to the clever remarks made by Jones, Turner, and Curson. Nathan Jones modified his description of the faulty Octavia Skoda to compare it to a Subaru Impreza. In his concluding speech, Christopher skeptically remarked on the idea of an Octavia Skoda sounding like a fighter jet, and delivered a confident narrative of the case review, which held the judges' attention.
The courtroom stood as HHJ Coupland and HHJ Owen exited to deliberate on the deserving winner of the esteemed Hammond Cup trophy among the four exceptional finalists. Once the decision was made, everyone rose again for the announcement of the 2024 champion. HHJ Coupland expressed gratitude to all involved, including the remarkable finalists who showcased exceptional advocacy skills in a complex criminal case, as well as those who contributed to creating the competitive environment in the Society and Nottingham Law School. HHJ Owen had the honour of revealing the winner, underscoring the difficulty of selecting a victor.
The champion and finalists were revealed, starting with the winner, Dominic Parisutham from Ropewalk Chambers, where HHJ Owen commended Dominic's interrogation skills as outstanding with remarkable smoothness. Following him, Amelia Whyte was named the runner-up, with her opening statement being praised as highly effective, composed, and self-assured. Christopher Grabowski was then acknowledged as the subsequent runner-up, receiving applause for his concluding argument and adeptness in tying all elements together for a compelling trial finale. Jemma Stanford was applauded for her exceptional performance in questioning the defendant, demonstrating consistent focus throughout.
Ralph Hammond, together with the panel of Judges, awarded Dominic Parisutham the prestigious Hammond Cup.
On behalf of Nottinghamshire Law Society, Vice President Lauren Crow expressed thanks to all participants in the final and preceding rounds for their contribution to the annual advocacy competition. Appreciation was extended to Nottingham Law School for their ongoing support in establishing advocacy skill development and providing an excellent venue. Lauren also recognised the Nottinghamshire Junior Lawyers Division (NJLD) for their assistance in organising and stewarding the event, with a special mention to Sarah Singh for her role as Court Clerk.
Nottinghamshire Law Society thanks everyone for their assistance in developing the Hammond Cup Advocacy competition, this year:
- HHJ Coupland
- HHJ Owen
- Nottinghamshire Law Society Education & Training Committee
- Nottinghamshire Law School
- Nottinghamshire Junior Lawyers Division (NJLD)