This was the twenty-seventh edition of the legal debate competition for schools, organized by the Faculty of Law of the Universidad AustralStudents in their final two years of secondary school had the opportunity to take on a role before a simulated audience and defend a position. A total of 77 teams from 31 schools in the Greater Buenos Aires area participated. A team of students from Colegio San Pablo won the competition.
The twenty-seventh edition of the Austral Legal Challenge, the legal debate competition organized by the Faculty of Law of the Universidad AustralIt had a record participation: more than 350 students from 31 schools in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area attended the oral debate session that took place this Monday, June 23rd at the IAE Business School, the business school of Universidad Austral“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this new edition, given that, so far, it was the competition that brought together the largest number of students in its in-person format. The commitment of the students and the teachers who accompanied them was outstanding,” explained Federico Menéndez, professor of Law and General Director of the event.
As in previous editions, the competition began with a written phase in which teams had to submit briefs defending their assigned role. During Monday's session, the teams met for oral debate rounds: some taking on the role of the eSafety Commissioner, an independent regulatory body of the Australian government for internet safety, and others representing the NGO NetChoice. This year's case addressed a highly topical issue: the discussion revolved around a law passed A law passed by the Australian Parliament last November prohibits minors under 16 from accessing social media. This law caused a particular uproar in Australian society, as it establishes severe financial penalties for technology companies that violate it.
To participate, all students, along with their teachers, received training on fundamental legal issues, as well as oral expression and argumentation to prepare a legal opinion and participate in debates.
“I found it super interesting. All the judges were very well prepared and had a very clear understanding of the case. All the students I competed against were very nice and friendly. I'm having a lot of fun because it's a format I'd never tried before—debating while simulating a trial,” described María José Amor from SGS Loma Verde School in Escobar, who participated in the activity for the first time. Zoe Morali, from Lucero Norte School in Pilar, added: “I really liked the format. I had never participated in a debate like this before, and I found the case very interesting. Everyone treats you very well, and everything is very organized, which makes everything flow smoothly and makes it easier. Plus, the judges give you very good feedback.”
The day began at 8:30 a.m. and ended at 7:30 p.m. Throughout the day, the teams participated in three oral debates that simulated a round of hearings before the Federal Court of Australia. The highly anticipated final pitted two teams against each other: Team 77 from Colegio San Pablo, representing the NGO Net Choice, and Team 48 from Del Viso Day School, representing the Australian government. The grand final was held before a jury composed of professors and administrators from the Faculty of Law: Fernando Toller, María Gattinoni, Gabriel M. Astarloa, and Ignacio de Casas.
After the jury deliberated, and by a vote of three to two (with the captains' additional vote), the team from the school representing the NGO NetChoice won. “Winning this competition means a lot because it required a huge effort from the entire team. Each of us contributed and we gave it our all. We are very happy and excited to have won. It's also the first time our school has participated, so it's a great honor both to have participated and to have won,” said Bautista Cayol, a member of the winning team.
Fernando Toller, director of the Law program and driving force behind the competition, reflected: “It has been a fantastic day where, once again, we invited students and their professors to get to know us and to test their oral debate and critical thinking skills. We want them to engage with and learn about the legal world, and initiatives like these aim to achieve that goal.”
Watch the video summary of the activity here
