“Legal argument is not often limited to 140 characters or less,” Jessica Clogg, executive director of West Coast Environmental Law, noted in a news release announcing what her organization says will be the world’s first-ever “Twitter Moot.”

“But Twitter is the perfect medium to raise public awareness about how the law can help protect the environment.”

It’s in that spirit that law students from five Canadian law schools will compete in the Twitter-based moot-court session, which is scheduled to take place next February. The participating schools are Osgoode Hall, University of Ottawa, Dalhousie University, University of British Columbia and University of Victoria.

The students will represent parties and present their arguments over Twitter in a simulated appeal of an actual court case: West Moberly First Nations v. British Columbia .

“The Twitter Moot will tell the story of an aboriginal nation fighting to preserve their relationship with the land against coal mining, and of the complicated questions of law and values that come with that conflict,” said Andrew Gage, one of the moot’s organizers, adding that the event will be appealing to tweeps interested in law, the environment or aboriginal issues.

Judges confirmed to hear the appeal include: William Deverell (lawyer and author of the Arthur Beauchamp Mystery novels); and Omar HaRedeye, lawyer, blogger and a social media guru. A third judge will be announced shortly.

The Twitter Moot — #twtmoot — is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 at 10 a.m. PST. Follow the moot at www.twitter.com/WCELaw/twtmoot, or via West Coast’s website. You can also visit the web pages of individual teams to offer advice or good wishes.