"Clients are less interested in legal jargon than in practical next steps”

The Society’s annual Client Consultation Competition continues to showcase the collaboration, communication and client care skills of aspiring legal professionals from across Northern Ireland.

The 2026 regional competition, held in January at Law Society House, brought together teams from all four Northern Ireland law schools to compete in a series of simulated client interviews. Designed to test more than legal knowledge, the competition challenges participants to demonstrate active listening, problem-solving and the ability to communicate practical legal advice in a client-focused way.

The Society extends its sincere thanks to the judging panel for generously giving their time and expertise: Niall Hargan (Chair, Carson McDowell), Claire McNamee (Law Society of Northern Ireland) and Maria O'Loan (Tughans). Special thanks are also due to Ms O'Loan for developing this year's realistic and engaging competition scenario, which centred on the theme of the ‘use of land’.

The ultimate winning team was from Ulster University's Belfast campus – consisting of Connor Nicholas and Pearse Smith. The team was selected to represent Northern Ireland and compete alongside teams from jurisdictions across the world at the 2026 Brown Mosten International Client Consultation Competition (ICCC), hosted by the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb in Croatia.

Here, Connor and Pearse share their experience. 

‘To represent Northern Ireland as regional champions at the ICCC was a source of immense pride for us. We had the opportunity not only to showcase our own abilities, but also to highlight the strength of legal education and client-focused practice in Northern Ireland.

Unsure of exactly what to expect, any concerns quickly disappeared as we were warmly welcomed into an international community of students, academics and legal professionals who shared a passion for client care and legal practice.

Set against the backdrop of Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, a city rich in culture and history, the competition spanned over four days, consisting of multiple rounds of client consultation involving complex property law disputes. We faced issues surrounding land ownership, trespass and the use of natural resources among many other elements. Each consultation simulated a real-world client interview, requiring us to go beyond identifying legal issues and focus on understanding the client's concerns and providing practical advice.

The international panels of judges were generous with their time and feedback after each round. One message stood out above all others: “clients are less interested in legal jargon than they are in clear and practical next steps”.

We were both well accustomed to Moot Courts where success often turns on legal argument alone, the ICCC reinforced the centrality of clear and concise communication in effective legal practice and client care.

The experience was about more than just competing. Meeting students from different jurisdictions was a highlight of the week. The cultural exchange evening, where teams shared gifts and discussed their traditions and legal systems, allowed us to learn more about different approaches to, and career pathways in, law around the globe.

A particular highlight was meeting Woody Mosten, whose pioneering work inspired the competition itself. He was kind enough to sit down with us for an interview in which he discussed his work introducing mediation at a time when it faced scepticism within the profession. We reflected that today's legal innovations, including AI, often follow a similar path before finding their place in practice.

Looking back, the ICCC strengthened our confidence and developed our understanding of what effective legal practice truly requires. The friendships and experiences gained in Zagreb are ones we will carry with us throughout our legal careers.

We must thank both the Society for their support, and our coach Melissa McKee for her guidance throughout this incredible journey.’