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PRESS STATEMENT

LAW SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND'S DEBATING TOURNAMENT IS TALK OF THE CLASSROOM

The Law Society of Scotland's 5th annual schools debating tournament kicks off on Tuesday, November 12, with a hard-hitting debate on cloning.
Pupils throughout Scotland are hoping their quick thinking and smooth talking will earn them a place in the final and a chance of winning the Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament trophy and £1,000 for their school. Simpson & Marwick WS have donated £500 towards the hardback folders which the judges and teams will use during the debates. The Glasgow Bar Association has once again kindly donated the runners-up prize of £200.
Teams from eighty-three schools from Jedburgh to Fraserburgh are preparing their arguments for or against the motion for the first round of debates: This house believes that cloning should end. The first round will take place over two nights, November 12 and November 20. Successful teams will go through to the second round, due to take place in February 2003.
Douglas Mill, the Society's chief executive, was instrumental in setting up the tournament which started in 1999.
He said: "The late Donald Dewar was one of the country's finest debaters and was awarded an honorary membership of the Law Society of Scotland, so it is fitting that this tournament, which encourages the advocacy skills of so many talented pupils, is named after him.
"The tournament is now in its fourth year and is well-established as a platform to encourage pupils to debate some pretty difficult motions.
"The standard of debate is always extremely high and I'm sure this year's tournament will be no exception."
Last year's winning school The Royal High School (Edinburgh) will be defending their title, whilst previous winners St Aloysius College (Glasgow), the High School of Glasgow and St Margaret's School for Girls (Aberdeen), have entered teams which will battle to win back the trophy.
Solicitors, debating experts and staff from the Society will judge the debates, which will be held in schools across the country between November and March, 2003.
Ends November 11, 2002

NOTE TO EDITORS: A list of the participating schools is attached

Schools participating:
Aberdeen Grammar School Auchterarder High School
Abronhill High School, Cumbernauld Ayr Academy
Arbroath High School Balerno Community High
Bankhead Academy, Bucksburn Banchory Academy
Bannerman High School, Ballieston Breadalbane Academy, Crieff
Bearsden Academy Charleston Academy, Inverness
Bishopbriggs High School Craigmount High, Edinburgh
Brechin High School Crieff High School
Cardinal Newman High School, Bellshill Culloden Academy, Inverness
Douglas Academy, Milngavie Dalkeith High School
Dunfermline High School Daniel Stewart's & Melville College, Edinburgh
Forfar Academy Dunbar Grammar School
Gleniffer High School, Foxbar Earlston High School
Glenrothes High School Firrhill High, Edinburgh
Grove Academy, Broughty Ferry Fraserburgh Academy
Hamilton College George Heriot's School
Harris Acadamy, Dundee George Watsons College
Hermitage Academy, Colgrain Girvan Academy
High School of Dundee Inverness Royal Academy
Hutcheson's Grammar School, Glasgow Irvine Royal Academy
Jordanhill School, Glasgow Jedburgh Grammar
Kilsyth Academy Kemnay Academy
Lanark Grammar School Loretto School, Musselburgh
Lockerbie Academy Mallaig High School
Monifieth High School Marr College, Troon
Montrose Academy Mary Erskine School
Notre Dame High School, Glasgow Mearns Academy
Park Mains High School, Erskine Morrison's Academy, Crieff
Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen North Berwick High School
St Aidan's High School, Wishaw Peebles High School
St Aloysius College, Glasgow Perth Academy
St Columba's School, Kilmacolm Queensferry High School
St Cuthbert's High School, Johnstone Selkirk High School
St John's RC High School, Dundee St George's School for Girls
St Joseph's College, Dumfries Strathallan School
St Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen The High School of Glasgow
St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, Glasgow The Royal High School
Stonelaw High Schoool, Rutherglen Wellington School, Ayr
Stranraer Academy Waid Academy,Anstruther
The Glasgow Academy Webster's High School
Uddingston Grammar School Williamwood High School

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