From 9 to 11 March, the European Friendly Rounds of the Jessup International Law Moot Court took place at the Université de Genève. In an appropriate setting, close to the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation, 19 universities from 17 countries competed against each other before the world finals in Washington, D.C. Based on a fictitious dispute between two states, they each represent plaintiff and defendant sides before the International Court of Justice. This year’s case concerns demilitarisation treaties, prohibition of the use of force and self-defence, the treatment of prisoners of war, the legality of severe economic sanctions and the environmental obligations of states in dealing with hazardous plastic waste.
After four strong preliminary rounds against universities from Slovakia, Switzerland, Poland and Ukraine, all of which the team won with aplomb, the Applicanst Adela Zinschitz and Maria Huber faced the Respondent side from the University of Maribor (Slovenia) in the semifinals on Saturday. With their legal arguments and confident presentation, they were able to convince the demanding bench, including world trade expert Prof. Gabrielle Marceau, and secured the Juridicum’s place in the final round.
In the final, the Respondent side of the University of Vienna with Sergej Stoma and Sophie Köck faced Hungary’s ELTE University and the critical questions of the top-class court. Prof. Makane Moïse Mbengue, Prof. Marco Sassòli and Dr. Jane Alice Hofbauer challenged both teams with difficult and in-depth questions and awarded the first prize to the Austrian team after a strong performance by both teams. Furthermore, in addition to an outstanding performance in the final, Sophie Köck also left her mark in the preliminary rounds and was named the best speaker of the tournament.
However, this victory does not mean the end of the efforts: Starting on 8 April, the International Rounds of the Jessup Moot Court will be held again in Washington, D.C., for the first time in four years. The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court is the oldest and most prestigious international law competition in the world, with over 150 teams from all over the world competing in April. The team from the University of Vienna is supervised by Martin Baumgartner, Markus Stemeseder and Maximilian Weninger from the Department of International Law and International Relations.
The team is supported by the University of Vienna, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Schönherr Rechtsanwälte und Völkl Rechtsanwälte.
More information on the Moot Court: https://ilmc.univie.ac.at/
