May the Law be with you at Te Piringa: A month of moots, great minds and community engagement

The force is strong at Te Piringa this May. There’s a steady run of moots, visiting speakers and student-led events across the month, so if you’ve been thinking about getting more involved, this is a good time to start.

The Pacific Law Students Association (PLSA) kicked off things on Friday (1) with PLSA in Practice 2026. Eminent Pacific lawyers came in to talk through their experiences in the profession, dedicating an evening of their time to inspire and encourage the next generation of emerging practitioners on Campus. It was a useful session, especially for anyone trying to get a clearer sense of direction early on.

Mooting is also already underway. On Monday (4), the Women in Law Association (WILA) opened the preliminary rounds of the Tompkins Wake x WILA Feminist Law Moot. The semi-finals are set for Wednesday (6), with the final on Friday (8). Even if you’re not competing, it’s worth dropping in to watch a round. It’s one of the easiest ways to get familiar with how arguments are structured and delivered.

‘Te reo Māori and the Courts: does bilingualism fit within our justice system?’ with Judge Alana Thomas

On 13 May, Judge Alana Thomas will be speaking at the Moot Court (N.1.01) from 1pm to 2pm on ‘Te reo Māori and the Courts: does bilingualism fit within our justice system?’, hosted by the Waikato Public Law and Policy Research Unit. As a permanent judge of the Māori Land Court and a member of the Waitangi Tribunal, she brings a perspective that connects directly to current conversations in public law.

Te Piringa Pride Intersex Moot

The following week introduces a new competition to the calendar. The Te Piringa Pride Intersex Moot runs from 18 to 22 May, finishing with a grand final between the top teams. Competitors will tackle a moot problem developed by Dr Regina Starling (PhD, LLM, LLB), engaging with complex legal questions surrounding intersex status and human rights.

Open Day at UOW is BACK!

Open Day at the University of Waikato takes place on the 22^nd of May, and the Te Piringa campus will open its doors to all future students and their whānau with a live moot court session at the Moot Court from 11am to 1pm.

Later that day, there’s a roundtable with Dr Narelle Bedford of Bond University, Dr Robert Joseph, and Dr Maryann Stancich of the University of Waikato, bringing together a mix of perspectives from across institutions.

A visit by Judge Terena Wara

On the 27^th of May, the Te Piringa campus welcomes Judge Terena Wara. She is one of two resident Judges for the Waiariki District of the Māori Land Court and hears cases in Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki and Tauranga (Waikato Maniapoto District of the Māori Land Court), It’s another chance to hear directly from someone working in the field and to ask questions about different pathways through the profession.

Hiko Haere and Study Wā sessions

Alongside the headliners, the regular weekly sessions at Te Piringa are still running. Hiko Haere takes place every Monday at 7am, meeting in front of Te Piringa, and Te Whakahiapo Study Wā sesseions runs on Tuesdays from 4pm to 6pm in MSB 0.22. If you’ve been meaning to get into a better study routine, it helps having something already set up. And yes, there’s kai.

Nau mai, haere mai ki Te Piringa. There’s plenty happening this month, and we’re keen to see you there!