Oxford reaches Grand Final of FTB Kingsland Cup and Prize Moot 2021

The 2020-21 iteration of the FTB Kingsland Cup and Prize Moot received the highest number of entries in the history of the competition. A team from Oxford, consisting of Daniil Ukhorskiy (BCL, Jesus) and Amy Gregg (DPhil Law, Exeter), was one of four teams nationwide selected to progress to the oral rounds and compete in the Semi Finals.

Daniil and Amy were selected on the strength of their skeleton arguments, tackling a planning problem addressing the circumstances under which use can be abandoned, and whether a Lawful Development Certificate can be granted for "nil use".

Daniil and Amy took part in their Semi Final round online on 14 April 2021, competing against a team from City Law School in front of Mr Justice Lane. After challenging judicial interventions, Daniil and Amy were declared the winner.

Amy and Daniil competed in the Grand Final of the competition on 30 September 2021, which was held in-person in Lincoln’s Inn. The moot problem considered the protection of political speech, and whether "consistency" exists as a freestanding ground of review, in a scenario loosely modelled on the notorious meeting of Jackie Weaver and the Handforth Parish Council.

The Grand Final was judged by Sir Keith Lindblom, Senior President of Tribunals, and Professor Alison Young, Sir David Williams Professor of Public Law at the University of Cambridge.

Following a tightly fought round against a team from City Law School, consisting of Oxford alumni Lois Lane (BA History, Magdalen, 2013) and Tom Lambert (BA Classics, St Benet's Hall, 2016), Amy and Daniil were awarded second place.

Left to right: Sir Keith Lindblom, Amy Gregg, Daniil Ukhorskiy, Lois Lane, Tom Lambert, Professor Alison Young