Outstanding Achievement in Legal Advocacy
The Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences at the University of Cadi Ayyad in Marrakech has proudly secured the title in the second national virtual trial competition focused on financial crimes. This prestigious event was organized by the Research Group in Criminal Policy and Social Dynamics within the same faculty, showcasing a fierce competition between teams, culminating in a gripping final match against the team from the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences at Moulay Ismail University in Oujda.
This victory highlights the exceptional competencies of the students from the University of Cadi Ayyad in the realm of legal advocacy and the formulation of robust legal arguments. The team representing the Marrakech Law School, comprised of students Mahjoub Zdou and Zakaria Abou Idrar, who took the role of the prosecution during the final, demonstrated impressive scholarly and practical skills in legal advocacy and judicial analysis. They exhibited a high degree of professionalism and seriousness in preparing their arguments, analyzing facts, and presenting legal justifications before the panel of judges.
Recognition of Excellence and Future Aspirations
During the final round of the virtual trial, held in a highly competitive atmosphere over the weekend, the judging panel awarded Mahjoub Zdou the title of Best Advocate, recognizing his outstanding presentation skills, self-confidence, and ability to construct legal arguments professionally, with a score of 736.5. Zakaria Abou Idrar followed closely in second place with a total of 726.5 points, while the third place was secured by Mohamed Amin Azkagh from the Faculty of Law at Moulay Ismail University with 704 points. The fourth position went to student Hassna Al-Adouni, also from the same faculty, who achieved 702.25 points.
The judging panel, composed of judges and lawyers, evaluated the participating teams based on their adherence to time constraints, methodical presentation, linguistic and communicative standards, ethical norms of advocacy, and their responsiveness to questions posed by the panel and counterarguments from opponents.
The representatives of the winning team expressed their joy and pride in this accolade, which adds to the academic record of the University of Cadi Ayyad and marks a significant milestone in the history of the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences.
Professor Latifa Qabish, the general coordinator of the competition and coach of the winning team, emphasized that this accolade serves as an additional motivation to continue efforts aimed at enhancing the university's status and reinforcing traditions of academic excellence among its students and faculty. She, along with other faculty members, highlighted that this national scientific event has become a key academic appointment for legal knowledge in advocacy practice, fostering values of diligence, integrity, and healthy academic competition among law students in Morocco.
Moreover, Professor Saadia Majidi, another faculty member and the general coordinator of the national virtual trial competition, reiterated that this achievement further confirms the growing prominence of the Faculty of Law and the University of Cadi Ayyad as a vibrant academic space that combines rigorous scientific training with openness to both national and international contexts. She noted that the virtual trial experience has been a pioneering pedagogical choice within the Faculty since the turn of the millennium, reflecting its distinguished history in this arena and drawing inspiration from various comparative educational practices.
The initiative aims to equip generations with the ability to advocate for their rights in an eloquent and ethically responsible manner, and this phase of the competition calls for institutionalizing this experience and making it an annual academic gathering across the kingdom under the banner of “The Art of Advocacy.”
This scientific event, which featured the participation of law students representing ten colleges and universities from various regions of the kingdom, was organized in partnership with the Bar Association in Marrakech and the International Observatory for Criminal Policy and Crime Phenomena, along with several professional and human rights organizations. It seeks to hone students’ skills in judicial simulation by preparing legal briefs and delivering oral arguments, thereby enhancing their abilities in legal analysis, persuasion, and adherence to judicial techniques.
The virtual case presented in this edition revolved around the management of local public affairs and the associated financial and administrative discrepancies, within a judicial simulation based on legal documents and oversight reports, focusing on financial crimes and differentiating between administrative errors and criminal acts related to the protection of public funds and guarantees of a fair trial.
This achievement is a continuation of the remarkable successes accumulated by the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences in Marrakech, which has consistently excelled academically and scientifically, as evidenced by its students’ performance in various national and international legal competitions. It reflects the ongoing efforts of the University of Cadi Ayyad to enhance the quality of legal education and bolster practical skills among students, particularly in areas of judicial simulation and advocacy.
As reported by assahraa.ma.
