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International moot program at UNSW Law School
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About the UNSW International Moot Program
The International Moot Program (course code LAWS3086) was the first such program in Australia, providing a select group of UNSW law students with the opportunity to prepare and conduct a mock case before an international tribunal. The program funds students to participate in prestigious international moot competitions, conducted in Australia and overseas, and to receive intense training and guidance in their preparation for these competitions.
Students who are eligible to take electives in their Law degree are eligible to apply for the program. Students may nominate the session in which they take credit for the program: Session 2 2007, Summer Session 2007/08 or Session 1 2008.
Although there are no formal pre-requisites for the International Law Competitive Moot, preferred pre-requisites are International Advocacy, Public International Law, International Trade Law (for ELSA) and International Humanitarian Law (for Pictet). Students who are selected for a team but who have not yet studied these subjects may be required to enrol in one or more of them.
Students are selected on the basis of academic merit, demonstrated research skills and/or advocacy skills. All aspects of a student’s record are considered, and team selection and composition depends on many factors.
The majority of the work for each competition will be undertaken over the summer months. Students are therefore expected to not undertake work or other commitments during the summer vacation.
For more information click here.
How to Apply
An application form can be downloaded here. Interviews are held annually at the beginning of session two.
Competitions open to UNSW Law Students
UNSW Law School sends teams to the following international moot competitions
Jessup International Law Moot Competition
The Jessup Moot competition is the largest and most prestigious international law moot competition in the world. Approximately 1500 students from more than 300 law schools in over 50 countries participate in the competition.
Participants compete first in the Australian National Rounds held in Canberra in early February, with the final held in the High Court before one High Court judge and two other eminent judges. The finalists proceed to the International Rounds held in Washington DC in April.
Preparation for and participation in the Jessup Moot takes place during second session and over the summer months. The problem always involves at least four complex issues, and takes the form of a case before the International Court of Justice. The problem in 2008 will focus on the tension between ensuring human rights and responding to acts of terrorism.
Students selected for the Jessup team are expected to not undertake work or other commitments during the summer vacation.
For more information, see: http://www.ilsa.org/jessup
2008 Jessup Moot Team
Coach: David Hume
International Results:
Runners-up, International Grand Final
3rd Best Speaker: Derek Wong
7th Best Speaker: Hennan Pintos-Lopez
15th Best Speaker: Brent Michael
9th Best Memorial
Australian Results:
Runners-up, Australian National Rounds
Best Overall Memorial
Best Respondent Memorial
6th Best Oralist: Rebecca Zaman
7th Best Oralist: Brent Michael

Team members (L to R):
Hernan Pintos-Lopez
Derek Wong
Rebecca Zaman
Tom Levi
Brent Michael
David Hume(coach)
2007 Jessup Moot Team
Coach: Stephen Tully
Award: 5th Best Oralist: Ben Mostafa
Result: Quarter-finalist

Team Members :
James King
Ben Mostafa
Zsofi Korosy
Michael Hung
Hai Van Nguyen
2006 Jessup Moot Team
Coach: Aruna Sathanapally

Team Members :
Joshua Brock
Talia Epstein
Samuel McSkimming
Lit Hau Tan
Christina Trahanas
Awards :
Best Applicant Memorial
Tenth best oralist (Samuel McSkimming)
2005 Jessup Moot Team
Coach : Rosemary Rayfuse
Awards:
Best Applicant's Memorial,
Best Overall Memorial and
2nd Best Oralist: Aruna Sathanapally
Team Members (pictured L-R):
Justice Michael Kirby (not a member of UNSW Jessup Moot Team)
Associate Professor Rosemary Rayfuse (coach)
Aruna Sathanapally
Jacqueline Chaplin
Gregory Johnson
Frances Voon
David Hume
2004 Jessup Moot Team
Coach: Devika Hovell
Result: Semi-finalists
Award: Best and Fairest
Team Members (pictured L-R):
Tahlia Petrosian
Devika Hovell (coach)
Melanie Schwartz
Leon Ioannou
Sharona Coutts
Lara Kostakidis-Lianos
Vis International Commercial Arbitration Competition
The Vis Moot is held in Vienna, and involves teams from all over the world. In 2007, over 170 teams participated.
The moot involves a dispute arising out of a contract of sale between two countries that are party to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The contract provides that any dispute that might arise is to be settled by arbitration in Danubia, a country that has enacted the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and is a party to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards.
Preparation for the Vis Moot takes place over the second session and the summer months. The problem is released at the end of the first week of October. The written phase consists of two stages with memorials for the Claimant due at the beginning of December, and memorials for the Respondent by mid-February. Oral rounds take place in Vienna the week before Easter.
For further information, see http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/moot/inform.html.
2008 Vis Moot Team
Coach: Vanessa Coffey & Svetlana German
Result: Round of 32
Team Members:
Amanda Fong
Joshua Gray
Jocelyn Williams (coach)
Aimee Wiseman
2007 Vis Moot Team
Coach: Vanessa Coffey
Result: Round of 16
Team Members:
Jason Siu
Dana Levi
Vanessa Coffey (coach)
Victoria Tan
Archana Gelda
2006 Vis Moot Team
Coach: Bree Farujia
Result: Round of 32
Team Members:
Svetlana German
Daniel Krochmalik
Tom Randall
Rebecca Roberts
2005 Vis Moot Team
Coach: Kim Middleton, Gadens Lawyers
Co-Coach: Bree Farrugia, Mallesons
Result: Round of 32, Vienna
Awards: Best Oralist - Charmaine Roberts
Team Members (L-R):
Charmaine Roberts
Kim Middleton, Gadens Lawyers (Coach)
Gillian White
Amy Wootton
Li Yen Ng
Bree Farrugia, Mallesons (Co-Coach)
2004 Vis Moot Team
Coach: Damian Sturzaker, Partner, Gadens Lawyers
Result: Round of 32
Awards: Honourable Mentions (Rebecca Finkelstein and Alex Gelski)
Team Members (L-R):
Paul Wilkes
Olivia Maloney (co-coach)
Alex Gelski
Damian Sturzaker (coach)
Peter Pikis
Rebecca Finkelstein
Pictet International Humanitarian Law Competition
The Jean-Pictet competition involves students from faculties of law, political science and military schools around the world in a competition which aims to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of international humanitarian law (the laws of war).
In a series of simulations, students are required to take on the identities of government representatives, military officers, legal advisers, delegates of the Red Cross or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and negotiate solutions to issues arising in situations of armed conflict. The real objective of the competition is to convey the reality of applying law to situations of war. It moves students beyond a theoretical understanding of the principles of international humanitarian law, and exposes its limits and constraints.
Preparation takes place during session 2, over the summer, and in the run up to the competition, which takes place in Europe for one intensive week in April. Rounds are held in English, French and Spanish, followed by the international final.
For further information, see http://www.concourspictet.org/.
2007 Pictet Team
Coach : Rosemary Rayfuse (far left in photo)
Team Members :
Tristan Garcia
Kathryn Neal
Renee Chartres
Result : International winner
2006 Pictet Team
Team Members :
Ingrid Giles
Dawnie Lam
Maya Port
2005 Pictet Team
Coach: Devika Hovell
Result: Finalists, English-Speaking Round, France
Team Members (L-R)
Amrita Kapur
Ilana Waldman
May Miller-Dawkins
2003 Pictet Team
Coach: Nicola Kozlina, Solicitor, Freehills
Result: International Rounds (winners)
English-speaking Rounds (winners)
Team Members (L-R)
Kerry Awerbuch
Katherine Fallah
Adrian Snodgrass
Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Competition
The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is organised annually by the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), and over 35 law schools compete in it. Each year, the regional winners of the Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States compete in the world finals in October, which are held in conjunction with the International Astronautical Congress.
The Lachs Moot has the distinction of having its world final judged by three sitting Judges of the International Court of Justice. The moot problem involves complex issues of space law, and takes the form of a case between two States before the International Court of Justice.
Preparation for the Lachs Moot takes place during session 2, over the summer, and in the early part of session 1.
2007 Lachs Team
Coach : Shan-Ree Tan
Team Members :
Robin Cao
Mirela Leko
Rameshkumar Rajalingam
2006 Lachs Team
Coach : Shan-Ree Tan
Team Members :
Rohan Bilmoria
Jessica Tan
Suma Tekkate
Result : Asia Pacific Quarter Finalists
2005 Lachs Team
Coach: Johanna O'Rourke, Blake Dawson Waldron
Result:
Runners-up Asia Pacific Regional Final
2nd Best Memorials
Award: Best Oralist (Final Rounds), Shan-Ree Tan
Team Members (L-R)
Johanna O'Rourke (coach)
Shan-Ree Tan
Fiona Poon
Stuart Loh
2004 Lachs Team
Coach: Johanna O’Rourke, Solicitor, Blake Dawson Waldron
Result: Quarter Finals
Award: 5th best oralist (Amy Wootten)
Team Members (L-R)
James Cameron
Johanna O’Rourke (coach)
Amy Wootten
Andrew Arcuri
ELSA Moot Court Competition (EMC²) on the Law of the World Trade Organization
The ELSA Moot Court Competition is a simulated hearing in the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system. Competitor teams represent both the complainant and respondent parties to the case by presenting oral submissions in front of a Panel.
Over 60 teams from around the world participate, with 16 teams meeting for the final oral rounds in Geneva in May. Australian and New Zealand participants meet in a non-ELSA regional round in March (with the winner and runner up proceeding to the Geneva round). The aim of the competition is both to encourage further developments on the subject matter in the curriculum of academic institutions, and also to contribute to the on-going discussion about globalization in the context of WTO agreements. In doing so, the organizers attempt to provide timely and highly topical situations to research. Preparation for the moot takes place over the summer months and into session one. Winners receive a postgraduate scholarship to the World Trade Institute in Bern, while the winner of the Best Orator wins an internship at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris.
For more information, see http://www.elsamootcourt.org/.
2006 ELSA Team
UNSW did not enter a team in 2006
2005 ELSA Team
Coach: Bryan Mercurio
Result:
Best Applicant’s Memorial
Best Overall Memorial
Team Members (L-R)
Bryan Mercurio (coach)
Zina Elimelakh
Greg Nicholas
Anna Saulwick & Eloise Schnierer (absent)
Internal competitions within UNSW Law School
The UNSW Law Society runs numerous competitions which are open to current UNSW Law School students. They offer mooting as various levels, client counselling, witness examination and negotiation.
More information is available on the UNSW Law Society website.
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