A moot court competition costs money: prizes, trophies, certificates, printing, food, rooms for outstation teams and hospitality for judges. This guide is for moot court committees at Mumbai University law colleges. It shows how moots across India find sponsors, what you can offer them, and a letter you can send to a law firm.
How moots are usually sponsored
Read a few recent moot announcements and the same pattern repeats: a law firm leads, a legal database or publisher gives research access, and a legal news site spreads the word. Some examples from 2026:
- The 16th SLCU-CAM Constitutional Law Moot at the School of Law, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, names Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as its title partner, SCC Online as its knowledge partner and SCC Times as its media partner (SCC Times).
- The 4th Justice Gopalji Mehrotra National Moot at S.S. Khanna Girls' Degree College, Prayagraj, is run with the law firm Chandhiok & Mahajan, whose partner drafted the moot problem. SCC Online, its knowledge partner, gives every participant one month of SCC Online access and the winning team a one-year subscription. The winners get Rs 2 lakh and the runners-up Rs 1 lakh (SCC Times).
- A smaller firm can lead too. The 5th DYPLC National Moot at Dr. D.Y. Patil Law College, Pimpri, Pune, ran in collaboration with Randive & Randive Associates, with cash prizes of Rs 1.25 lakh (Lawctopus).
- Closer home, Government Law College, Mumbai runs its 33rd M.C. Chagla Memorial Moot in association with the Chief Justice M.C. Chagla Memorial Trust. The best team gets Rs 18,000 (SCC Times).
So a moot can have up to four kinds of partners. You do not need all four. One law firm and one research partner is a strong start.
The four kinds of moot partners
1. A law firm as title or lead partner
The biggest support usually comes from a law firm: prize money, and often its lawyers' time. A firm can draft or review the moot problem, judge the final rounds and speak at the valedictory. Start with firms where your alumni work, and firms whose partners studied at your college.
2. A knowledge or research partner
Legal databases and publishers can support a moot with access instead of cash: database access for participants, subscriptions for the winners, or book vouchers. For a law student, that is a prize worth having.
3. A media partner
Legal news sites and law student portals publish your announcement and your results. That brings registrations from law colleges across the country.
4. Trusts, alumni and chambers
Memorial trusts, alumni groups and advocates' chambers can fund named prizes, like Best Speaker or Best Memorial. A named prize can come back every year, with the same donor.
What you can offer a partner
- Their name on the moot: "[Moot name], in association with [firm]"
- Their logo on the website, the moot problem, posters, certificates and the stage backdrop
- Drafting or reviewing the moot problem
- Judging slots in the semi-finals and the final
- A talk or panel at the inauguration or valedictory
- Presenting the prizes
- Posts on your committee's pages, before and after the moot
Keep the offer academic. Advocates in India are bound by Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules, which says an advocate "shall not solicit work or advertise, either directly or indirectly" (iPleaders explains the rule). So pitch roles like drafting the problem, judging, a talk and prizes, and never describe the partnership as advertising for the firm.
Plan the money
Write down every cost before you ask anyone: prizes, trophies and certificates, printing, food, the venue, rooms and travel for outstation teams, judges' hospitality, and a buffer for last-minute costs. Then match each cost to a partner. "Rs 30,000 for the Best Memorial prize" is easier to say yes to than "please support our moot".
When to start
Approach firms at least three months before the moot. If a firm is drafting the problem, it needs time before your problem release date, and teams need time to research after it.
After the moot
Within a week, send each partner a short report: how many teams registered and from which colleges, photos from the final, the winners and the judges, and links to the results coverage. Thank them, and ask about next year while the moot is fresh. Keep a sheet of every partner and pass it on to next year's committee.
A letter you can send to a law firm
Subject: Partnership for the [edition] [moot name], [college name], Mumbai
Dear [Name],
I am [your name], convenor of the Moot Court Committee at [college name], Mumbai. We are organising the [edition] [moot name] on [dates], on [area of law]. We expect [number] teams from law colleges across [Maharashtra / India].
We would be glad to have [firm] as our [title / lead] partner. The partnership could include:
[Drafting or reviewing the moot problem]
[Judging the semi-finals and the final]
[A talk at the valedictory session]
[Prize money of Rs [amount] for the winners][Firm] would be named as partner on the moot problem, the website, the certificates and the backdrop. Our brochure with dates and past editions is attached.
Could we speak for 15 minutes this week? We are happy to shape the partnership around what works for the firm.
Warm regards,
[Your name]
Convenor, Moot Court Committee, [college name]
[Phone], [email]
munotes can be one of your partners
munotes sponsors competitions at MU law colleges. We give munotes Semester Passes as prizes for the winners, and we agree the details with you for each event. Email contact@munotes.in with your moot's name, dates and poster.
You can also list your moot on munotes for free, take registrations there and add partner packages to your event page. See how it works for committees.
Running a fest instead? Read how to get sponsors for a college fest in Mumbai.