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On Thursday 30 April, Nottingham Law School welcomed the return of the annual Hammond Cup competition, with the courtroom alive with excitement as four exceptional finalists competed in a thrilling final. The event was overseen this year by HHJ Coe KC and HHJ Coupland. The Society is especially grateful for the continued attendance and support of the Hammond family, whose commitment honours the memory of their late father, Michael Hammond, who established the competition in 1968.
The finalists were a mix of aspiring pupil barristers and trainee solicitors: James Reynolds of KCH Garden Square, Jasmin Blackwell-Lynch from The Johnson Partnership, Oyin Makinde of Browne Jacobson, and Daniel Blurton from Daniel Bradley Law. Each competitor demonstrated their advocacy abilities across two mock criminal trials, taking on the role of either prosecution or defence.
Bringing added realism to the trials were Gavin Dunn as Darren, Darcey White as Susan Jones, and Drew Dennis as Robert Smith. The case centred on an allegation that Darren was struck in the mouth by Robert Smith following a barrage of abuse from Smith. Susan Jones, who was seeing Clarke (though she herself seemed uncertain about the exact nature of their relationship!), witnessed the blow and Clarke falling to the ground. Neither Clarke nor Smith were presented as flawless characters, with both having previous convictions. Smith’s testimony was marked by several lapses in memory — including uncertainty about his age and who he was in a relationship with — a recurring feature of this up-and-coming actor’s performance. All three actors delivered a strong and engaging narrative, responding confidently to questioning from both the defence and the prosecution.
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In the opening mock trial, Jasmin presented a calm and well‑judged opening statement, demonstrating strong control over both her pace and tone. Her delivery was clear and purposeful, supported by confident and sustained eye contact with the Judges. During the prosecution case, her questioning developed naturally as a narrative, gently guiding the witness and victim to recount the events as they unfolded at the scene. In contrast, when examining the accused, her approach shifted to a firmer and more direct line of questioning, effectively testing the reliability of their account and reinforcing the prosecution’s case.
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James then assumed responsibility for the questioning, adopting a confident stance and an assertive, no‑nonsense style. His short, incisive questions were directed squarely at Dunn and Jones, methodically exposing inconsistencies and weaknesses in their accounts. It was during his persuasive examination of Smith, however, that the defence case truly began to unravel, as Smith’s memory repeatedly failed him under pressure.
The trial concluded with James delivering a compelling closing speech. Throughout the proceedings, both Jasmin and James demonstrated impressive agility in responding to the actors’ witty asides and occasionally rambling testimonies, skilfully guiding them back to the point. This led to several humorous, unscripted moments—particularly during Smith’s lapses in memory—which added an engaging and lively dynamic to the courtroom.
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Following a short adjournment, the courtroom rose as the Judges returned for the second simulated trial, this time featuring Oyin Makinde of Browne Jacobson and Daniel Blurton from Daniel Bradley Law.
Oyin opened the proceedings with a confident and authoritative opening statement, setting the tone with a clear, focused, and persuasive delivery. Her speech was concise yet impactful, laying out the prosecution’s case before moving seamlessly into the examination of both witnesses and the defence.
As the trial unfolded, memory lapses — a familiar theme from the earlier proceedings — were notably scarce. However, the courtroom was still treated to an unexpected twist when Clarke revealed that he was a foster parent, a surprising development that caught many off guard and added a fresh layer of intrigue to the case.
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Daniel then undertook the examination of both the witnesses and the defendant, adopting a precise and highly focused style of questioning. His approach was measured yet persistent, using carefully targeted questions to test the consistency and credibility of each account. By revisiting key moments in the evidence and probing apparent discrepancies, he steadily dismantled their versions of events, exposing contradictions and weaknesses that suggested none of the narratives could be relied upon in full.
He concluded the trial with a composed and well‑structured closing statement, clearly drawing together the issues raised during his cross‑examination. In doing so, Daniel reinforced the impact of his questioning and left the Judges with a clear and persuasive summary of why the evidence presented was fundamentally flawed.
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The courtroom rose as HHJ Coe KC and HHJ Coupland withdrew to deliberate on the worthy recipient of the prestigious Hammond Cup, faced with the difficult task of selecting a winner from four outstanding finalists. Once their decision had been reached, all stood again for the announcement of the 2026 champion.
HHJ Coe KC thanked all those involved for their participation, commenting on the continued strength of support for the Society’s competitions and the importance of encouraging and nurturing the next generation of junior lawyers across the County. HHJ Coupland then led the judicial feedback, praising all four finalists for the dedication and hard work required to reach the final and commending them collectively for demonstrating advocacy of an exceptionally high standard throughout the competition.
HHJ Coupland also took time to reflect on the contributions of the supporting actors, offering a light‑hearted and engaging review of the performances delivered by Clarke, Jones and Smith. With good humour, he highlighted their convincing portrayals and comic moments — particularly the occasional memory lapses — noting how their performances added realism, challenge, and entertainment to the proceedings, much to the enjoyment of both the Judges and the courtroom alike.
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The finalists and champion were announced in ascending order, beginning with fourth place, awarded to Jasmin Blackwell-Lynch of The Johnson Partnership, followed by James Reynolds from KCH Garden Square, with second place going to Oyin Makinde of Browne Jacobson. The winner was then revealed as Daniel Blurton from Daniel Bradley Law.
Society President, Marie Dancer, thanked everyone involved in the competition and echoed the Judges’ praise for the exceptionally high standard of advocacy demonstrated throughout the courtroom. Sara Davis, daughter of Michael Hammond, alongside Jenna Hammond, his granddaughter, was then invited to present the Hammond Cup trophy to the deserving winner, Daniel Blurton.
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Nottinghamshire Law Society thanks everyone for their assistance in developing the Hammond Cup Advocacy competition, this year:
- HHJ Coe KC
- HHJ Coupland
- Nottinghamshire Law Society Education & Training Committee
- Nottinghamshire Law School
- Nottinghamshire Junior Lawyers Division (NJLD)