KCL team for the 16th Willem C. Vis moot

Teams results !!!

2009-04-30T08:52:00.008+01:00

One, two, three, four and five awards !!! At last, the results were published on the Moot Website (www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/moot/awards16.html)

Sixteenth Annual Willem C. Vis
International Commercial Arbitration Moot
2008-2009

Pieter Sanders Award
Best Memorandum for Claimant

First Place
University of Sydney

Second Place (tie)
McGill University
Stockholm University

Honorable Mention
University of Aarhus
American University, Washington College of Law
University of Belgrade
University of Bern
Cardozo Law School
University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
Free University of Berlin
University of Fribourg, Switzerland
University of Geneva
George Washington University
Harvard University
King's College, London
Louisiana State University
University of Munich
University of Münster
National University of Juridical Sciences
University of New South Wales
University of Ottawa
University Paris I - Pantheon/ Sorbonne
Pace University
National University of Singapore
University of Vienna

Werner Melis Award
Best Memorandum for Respondent

First Place
Stockholm University

Second Place
University of Freiburg

Third Place
University of Mainz
University of Munich

Honorable Mention
Ateneo de Manila University
University of Cologne
University of Düsseldorf
Florida Coastal University
University of Fribourg, Switzerland
University of Geneva
George Washington University
University of Heidelberg
Humboldt University
King's College, London
London School of Economics
University of Lucerne
McGill University
University of Münster
National University of Juridical Sciences
University Paris I - Pantheon/ Sorbonne
Reykjavik University
University of Sydney
University of Zurich

Martin Domke Award
Best Individual Oralist
In the General Rounds First Place
Oliver Jones, The Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn

Second Place
Sarah Wright, University of California, Berkeley

Third Place
Alexander Fawke, Monash University

Honorable Mention
George Anand, Fordham University
Filip Balcerzak, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan
Gabriele Bares, University of the Saarland
Esha Bhandari, Columbia University
Kalyn Bethany Bomback, Osgoode Hall Law School
Emmanuel A. Cárdenas R., Panamerican University, Mexico City
Patrick M. Causey, Stetson University
Elaine Chew, National University of Singapore
Amber L. Curl, Loyola University, Chicago
Juliana De Ureña Galvis, University Carlos III de Madrid
Shraddha Deshmukh, ILS Law College, Pune University
Matt du Mee, Harvard University
Derya Durlu, Bilkent University
Carolin Emmert, University of Heidelberg
Joseph W. Etter, Stetson University
Andrew Ferguson, University of California, Berkeley
Anja Fingerhut, University of Hamburg
Camille Flechet, King's College, London
Katherine Ford, University of New South Wales
Paw Fruerlund Jensen, University of Southern Denmark
Anja Grabundzija, McGill University
Brendan Green, University of Ottawa
Casey Groher, George Washington University
Srishti Gupta, National Law University, Jodhpur
Daisy Gurdian, Tulane University
Hjördís Birna Hjartardóttir, Reykjavik University
Philipp Hofmann, University of Freiburg
David Hume, Victoria University of Wellington
David Ingle, College of Law of England and Wales
Wolfgang Junge, Bucerius Law School
Shira Kaufman, Columbia University
Michaela Krömer, University of Vienna
Céline Lachmann, CRFPA de Versailles (Versailles Bar School)
Kirsten Lau, University of New South Wales
Liz Lindesay, Harvard University
Samantha Lord, Murdoch University
James Lucarello, Touro College Law Center
Melissa D. Marsh, Tulane University
Meyghan McCrea, Columbia University
Jana Meier, Franklin Pierce Law Center
Alexander Monro, University of the Saarland
Sara Nadeau-Séguin, London School of Economics
Heinrich Nemeczek, University of Freiburg
Alissa Palumbo, Pace University
Fran Pelicari, University of Zagreb
Ivana Reljanovi, University of Zagreb
Jonathan Robilotto, Stockholm University
Nicholas Rudd, Griffith University
Peter Sadler, Murdoch University
Shabana Saleem, Queen Mary
Timothy Schmidt, Hofstra University
Javier Solana Álvarez, University Carlos III de Madrid
Christian Steger, University of Hamburg
Dominik Steghöfer, University of Munich
Marta Stepien, University of Münster
Ivana Stojši, University of Belgrade
Tanja Stooß, University of Heidelberg
Preeti Sukthanker, ILS Law College, Pune University
Nhu Tran, University of Wisconsin
Sherlin Tung University of San Diego
Bram Van Eeckhout, King's College, London
Michael M. Viglione, Loyola University, Chicago
Paula Viola, McGill University
Kathrin Vorholzer, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
Michael Watkins, The Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn
Tiong Teck Wee, National University of Singapore
Wenzhao Zhuo, New York University

Frédéric Eisemann Award
Team Orals

First Place
Victoria University of Wellington

Second Place
ILS Law College, Pune University

Third Place
Griffith University
King's College, London

Quarter Finalists
University of Ottawa
University of Reykjavik
University of São Paulo
Tulane University

Elimination Round Participating Teams
University of Aarhus
Ateneo de Manila University
University of Basel
University of Belgrade
University of Bonn
Brooklyn Law School
University of Buenos Aires
University of California, Berkeley
University Carlos III de Madrid
Central European University
Columbia University
University of Copenhagen
CRFPA de Versailles (Versailles Bar School)
Emory University
University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
Fordham University
Free University of Berlin
University of Freiburg
University of Hamburg
Hamline University
Harvard University
University of Heidelberg
Humboldt University
Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico
The Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn
London School of Economics
Loyola University, Chicago
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
University of Mainz
McGill University
Monash University
University of Munich
University of Münster
Murdoch University
National Law University, Jodhpur
National University of Juridical Sciences
University of New South Wales
New York University
Osgoode Hall Law School
Pace University
Panamerican University, Mexico City
University Paris I - Panthéon - Sorbonne
University Paris II Panthéon - Assas
University of Pittsburgh
Queen Mary
University of the Saarland
University of San Diego
National University of Singapore
University of Southern Denmark
Stetson University
Stockholm University
University of Sydney
Touro College Law Center
National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
University of Vienna
University of Virginia
University of Zagreb

Miscellaneous (Paris)

2009-04-16T14:32:00.003+01:00

Some random pictures shot in Paris:

A "wallace" fountain.

The Parisian flower market (Île de la cité)

French café.

Bramouille

La sainte chapelle.

The french underground (I)

The french underground (II)

Miscellaneous pictures (Vienna) & "remerciements"

2009-04-16T10:37:00.023+01:00

random pictures:

Merci à toute l'équipe de KCL pour leurs exploits dument mérités, un petit merci spécial à Camille pour t'être tant impliquée et pour avoir permis, par ta connaissance de la CISG, que l'équipe poursuivre les final rounds, à Basile pour cette incroyable plaidoirie en 1/4 de finale, à Bram who is simply "the best", à Katherine pour avoir lancé l'idée du moot à KCL ...
Merci à tous ceux qui nous ont tellement aidés à Londres Metka, Alexis, Dafina et Yves
Merci aux cabinets Baker and McKenzie, WilmerHale et Freshfields de Londres
Merci aux cabinets Clifford Chance, Gide Loyrette Nouel and Moore de Paris
Merci à Messieurs les professeurs Jan Dalhuisen, Pierre Mayer, et Peter Winship et Messieurs Johnny Veeder et Sam Wordsworth
Merci aux organisateurs des practice moots de La Haye et de Madrid
Merci à toutes les sympathiques équipes rencontrées et notamment Paris 1, CRFPA versailles, Paris 2; Sciences-Po Paris, Erlangen Nurnberg, VUW, Carlos III, LSE, Warsaw, Mexico, Manilla ...
Merci à tous les arbitres qui ont patiemment écouté nos submissions
Merci à Kua Kessuwan et Alexander Turk de King's College London
Merci à tous ceux qui ont supporté la langue française
Merci Professeur Bergsten

Merci merci merci ...

Semi-final ... banquet ... the end

2009-04-16T09:26:00.013+01:00

Thursday 9th April 2009:
There were still four teams in the competition: Wellington, Pune, Griffith and KCL !!!
After a long night of rest at the hotel for Camille and a couple of whiskeys at a club for Basile, the team mooted against the most extraodinary team: VUW (Victoria University of wellington) ... two amazing pleaders David and Katherine and an amazing coach Dr Petra Butler.

Professor Jan Dalhuisen with Basile and Camille

Almost a pleasure to loose agaisnt them ... at least a great pleasure to have mooted with them and, even though the final was very close, the KCL team was very happy to end third equal (out of 233 universities) in the 16th Willem C Vis moot.

Congratulations camille and Basile and congratulation to the rest of the team !!!

A bit disappointed and ecstatic at the same time, the KCL team rushed to the hotel then to the banquet in order to watch the final opposing VUW and Pune (India).
The winner was ... Victoria University of Wellington !!! congratulation to this wonderful team !!!

At the Banquet, the KCL team shared its table with another wonderful team, the versailles Bar School team, which managed to go to the final rounds without any coach.

Alexandre from the Versailles Bar School team

The KCL team is very proud to announce that, in addition to finish third equal in the vis moot 2009, it won an award for its claimant memorandum, an award for its respondent memorandum and that Bram and Camille both won an award for their advocacy skills ...

Camille learning she was awarded for her advocay skills.

Reviews ...

2009-04-16T08:26:00.001+01:00

Global Arbitration review:

New Zealand team wins Vis moot

15 April 2009

Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand beat the International Law School of Pune in India in the 16th Vis moot in Vienna last week. But it was the performance of the - uncoached - Indian team that stood out, for at least one seasoned moot goer.

The final round was judged by the secretary general of the SCC Arbitration Institute Ulf Franke, Lebanese arbitrator and professor Nayla Comair-Obeid and Philip Capper, a partner at White & Case LLP and a professor at King's College London. before a crowd of 1,500 spectators.
Griffith University of Queensland and King's College London were runners-up. Other prizes went to teams from the University of Stockholm [best claimant memorandum] and the University of Sydney, New South Wales [best respondent memorandum].
Hew Dundas, one of the arbitrators at both this moot and last week's Vis Moot (East), says the Pune team gained the crowd's affection as an uncoached team consisting of two female students with only a single researcher as back-up.
"The single most outstanding performance was one of the Pune team members arguing on jurisdiction - objectively an impossible mountain to climb," he says.
Dundas, who describes the moot as one of the highlights of his professional year, also singles out a Polish team who mistakenly thought they were appearing for the claimant, but managed to put on a "highly creditable" performance for the respondent at just 10 minute's notice.
Although some suggested that this year's moot problem was tipped in favour of the respondent, in the 62 elimination rounds claimant teams won as often as the respondents. Dundas says this is because good moot judges decide on the basis of advocacy alone. "The moot is not about who wins or loses the case per se, but who argues better - so arguing a weak case well and imaginatively outperforms arguing an easy case routinely," he says.
This was reflected in the results of the 62 elimination rounds - in which claimant teams won as often as respondents.
This year's moot attracted 233 teams from 59 jurisdictions including Bahrain, the Cayman Islands, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Oman. The greatest number of teams came from the US (53), Germany (24), India (17), France (12), Switzerland (11) and England (10). The quarter-finals included teams from eight different countries.
In total there were roughly 1,500 student participants present and 650 arbitrators. 529 hearings took place over six days requiring 1, 587 arbitral "appointments".
Dundas says: "The Willem C Vis moot is one of the great events in the world's legal calendar and words are inadequate to measure the magnitude of Professor Eric Bergsten's achievement in bringing it to where it now is".
Last month's Vis Moot (East) featured 64 teams and was won by Loyola Law School of Los Angeles.
AR

Wednesday (final rounds)

2009-04-11T17:42:00.028+01:00

The team has been qualified !!! It was decided that Camille and Basile were going to represent KCL for the further stage(s?) .

Round of 32: Southern Denmark v. KCL

Mr. Chair

The audience.

Claimant: the University of Southern Denmark.

Respondent: Camille and Basile listening to the claimant's submissions.

The tribunal.

The KCL team was very impressed by the Team from Denmark, almost if not perfect regarding the way thay submitted their claim... thus the team was quite afraid ...

The Team made it !!!

Thank you Camille, apparently the substance on the CISG part allowed the team to go to the next stage ...

Round of 16: KCL v Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico

Camille and Basile ready to moot for the second time of the day.

Claimant : Camille and Basile

Respondent: Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico

Mr. Chair : Professor Mistellis

The tribunal.

The KCL team really enjoyed mooting against the team of Mexico ... its members and coaches were eceptionnaly nice and fairplay people ...
However, the KCL team was still very happy to learn that Basile and Camille made it to the round of 8 !!! After a coin was tossed, the KCL team was again to be Claimant

Round of 8 : KCL v. Ateneo de Manila University

Claimant : Basile and Camille.

Again the KCL team fancied mooting against such a nice team ... And again the KCL team fancied learning it was selected for the 1/4 final !!!!

Camille reading her submission after having enjoyed a well deserved weizenbier.

1/4 final : University of São Paulo v. KCL
the room was full ... people had to stand or to leave the room ...

And ... the KCL team learned it made it throug the SEMI-FINAL !!!! It was to be respondent against the team of Wellington, the day after at 9am ...

Thank you Basile, as we were told after the session, you were: "brilliant" ...

Vienna Tuesday 7th April 2009 (IV Bis)

2009-04-11T17:18:00.009+01:00

Done ... Four sessions ... four pleaders... four opponent teams... four days ...

The KCL team and their red KCL folders finally resting ...

After a short break, mostly spent at unsuccessfully finding a suitable place to drink, the KCL team went to the Austria center, next to the Danube, where the announcement of the 64 lucky teams were going to take place.

The Autria Center.

The fully craked room and its audience waiting for the announcement ...

Professor Bergsten, after having tried to entertain the audience, was finaly ready to announce the 64 teams which will go to the final rounds...
32 teams were first announced and had to moot at 8pm the same day. Unfortunately, the KCL team was not amongst them...
However the KCL team was next called and was made aware it had to moot the next day against the team of the university of Southern Denmark !!!

In addition, and to our great pleasure, many of the teams we have met and/or mooted against were also selected: Versailles Bar School, Paris I, Paris II, Wellington, Madrid, LSE, Erlangen ...

Toni Marzal, one of the coaches of Paris 1, very happy at the success of his team.

Vienna Tuesday 7th April 2009 (IV)

2009-04-11T16:07:00.017+01:00

On Tuesday 7th April, for its fourth and last session of the general rounds, the KCL team responded to the team of the University of Warsaw.

Because it was the last stage before the announcement of the finalists, the pleaders were a bit stressed ...

... fortunately, they could count on the support of the rest of the team.

Basile and Katherine ready to moot.

The audience.
Mme Chair.

Claimant : The team from the University of Warsaw.

The tribunal listening to the Warsaw Team.

Respondent: Basile and Katherine.

The tribunal listening to the KCL team.

Vienna Monday 6th April 2009 (III)

2009-04-07T10:16:00.019+01:00

On Monday the 6th April, for its third pleading, the KCL team mooted against the Belgrade team. The KCL team was represented by Bram and Camille.

Mr. Chair.

Claimant : Bram and Camille

The tribunal listening to the KCL submissions

Respondent : the team from Belgrade University

The tribunal listening to the Belgrade submissions.

After having mooted against such a good team and after having answered to many difficult questions, the two KCL pleaders went for a well deserved rest in the café central of Vienna

Camille and Bram after having enjoyed a couple of Weizenbiers ...

Peter Altenberg, the most famous "Stammgast" of Café Central ...

... with Bram ...

... And with Camille.

Vienna Saturday 4th April 2009

2009-04-05T17:58:00.013+01:00

On Saturday 4th April, The KCL Team was claimant against the team of the University of Latvia. The team was represented by Basile and Katherine.

Claimant: Basile and Katherine.

Respondent: Natalija and Sandra.

Then the team went to the Café Central in order to celebrate its first arguement.

Vienna Sunday 5th April 2009

2009-04-05T16:37:00.022+01:00

On Sunday, for its second argument, the KCL Team responded to the team of the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. The KCL team was represented by Bram and Camille.

Mr Chair.

Claimant : Helena and Falco

Respondent: Camille and Bram

The Tribunal:

... and the audience.

After the pleadings, The KCL team had lunch at the Café Landtmann .

An elegant and famous place where to relish Tafelspitz ...

... Beef Gulasch ...

... and the well-known Sachertorte.

Paris Practice Moot (Day III)

2009-03-31T23:42:00.021+01:00

On Tuesday 31 March, for its third and final practice in Paris, the KCL team mooted against the team from the University of Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1) at Castaldi Mourre & Partners.

As usual, Camille was ready before the others.

A Mayerian team: Basile and Camille.

Another Mayerian team: Mickael and Pauline

A Mayerian coach: Edith.

Amusingly, the Four oralists and the two coaches all come from the D.E.A. of Professor Pierre Mayer.

Professor Pierre Mayer as Mister President of the Tribunal.

Respondent : Basile and Camille

Claimant: Mickaël and Pauline

The Tribunal not very convinced by the team of Paris 1 ...

... nor by the team of KCL.

Paris Practice Moot (Day II)

2009-03-30T21:06:00.014+01:00

On Monday 30 March, for its second day in paris, the KCL team mooted against the team of the University of Panthéon-Assas (Paris II).

The practice moots were held at Gide Loyrette and Nouel, a law firm located between the pont de l'Alma and the pont Alexandre III.

The first practice moot opposed the KCL team (Claimant) to the Paris II team (Respondent)

Claimant: Bram and Camille

Respondent: Rami and Florent (Paris II)

The tribunal: Francois Mailhé, Carole Malinvaud and Sybille de Rosny.

... And the audience.

After the first formal moot, a second one was held with the members not pleading as arbitrators.

The new Tribunal with Camille as Madame the President.

Respondent: Basile and Katherine

Claimant: Rami and florent (Paris II)

A "global picture" from the moot ...

Paris Practice Moot

2009-03-30T09:44:00.009+01:00

Paris C'est "Vert de Gris":

Even though the ICC pre-moots were fully booked, the team went to paris as a third and final place to practice before Vienna.

On Sunday 29 March, the Team from the CRFPA of versailles organised an informal practice moot at Clifford Chance with Sciences-Po, the university of Versailles-Saint Quentin and King's College.

Clifford Chance is nicely located on the Place Vendôme ...

... Just next to the Ministère de la Justice.

First moot: Versailles (Pierre and René) v King's College (Katherine and Basile).

Respondent: Basile and Katherine.

The KCL team with the team from the University of Versailles and Alexandre who organised the moots.

Madrid (Miscellaneous)

2009-03-28T14:29:00.003Z

Practice Moots are also opportunities to visit cities and to meet people from all over the world, whether they are team members, coaches or arbitrators.

Madrid Airport (Terminal 4, By Renzo Piano)

Plazza Mayor:

Other Views from our flat:

Il Retiro:

Random pictures from Madrid:

Dog guarding a flower shop

Museo Nacional del Prado

El Museo Reina Sofia

PCA Practice Moot (Miscellaneous)

2009-03-28T12:29:00.000Z

Practice Moots are also opportunities to visit cities and to meet people from all over the world, whether they are team members, coaches or arbitrators.

Den Haag :
Peace Palace

The KCL Team in front of the Peace Palace

The Japanese Room

The International Criminal Court

The UN Flag and a dove ...

The Garden of the Peace Palace

Gem Museum

Gemeente Museum

SCHEVENINGEN:

The Breakfeast Room

Dutch breakfast at the hotel

The Hotel of the KCL Team in Sheveningen

The beach

Delft

The KCL Team is very grateful to its Professor of Arbitration.

The Nederlands are quite reknown for its Gouda Cheese. (Market in Delft)

The KCL team with the team of Sciences-Po Paris (Peace Palace)

The KCL Team with the Team of Cologne University. (Asser institute)

Madrid Practice Moot (24-25 March 2009)

2009-03-28T10:12:00.000Z

The 2nd Official practice moot was held in Madrid and organized by the University of Carlos III. Fourteen teams participated, such as Victoria University of Wellington, Columbia University, University of Dusseldorf, University of Belgrade ...

The team stayed in a flat with a view on the famous Plazza Mayor.

The team on its way to its first practice moot. (Metro 2)

On Tuesday, the moots were held in Cuatrecasas.

The KCl mooted against the University of Milan and the University of Düsseldorf.

The team ready for its first pleading.

Respondent : Camille and Bram

The Arbitral Tribunal: Ana Morales (Pérez-Llorca), Alberto Fortún (Cuatrecasas) and Anders Bjorn (Aarhus).

King's College London v. University of Milan.

Claimant: Camille and Basile

The Arbitral Tribunal: Cristian Conejero (Cuatrecasas), Petra Butler (V. Wellington) and Manuel Franco (cuatrecasas).

King's College London v. University of Düsseldorf.

On Wednesday 25th March, the KCL Team mooted against the University of Navarra and the University of Paris 1.

The team ( Katherine, Basile and Bram) on its way to B. Cremades.

Respondent: Katherine and Basile

Claimant: Katherine and Bram

PCA Practice moot, Den Haag.

2009-03-28T08:55:00.002Z

The first official practice moot the team attended, was the PCA Vis premoot held in The Hague, Nederlands.

The team stayed in Scheveningen, the most popular sea-side resort in Holland. The resort of Scheveningen is only a 15-minute tram-ride from the centre of The Hague.At the Aquarius Hotel , we enjoyed a unique view of the sea and the beach.

View from one of our room in Scheveningen

The PCA practice moot was scheduled for Sunday and Monday, 22 and 23 March 2009. The opponent teams were EFB, Elon University, Sciences-Po Paris and Cologne University

On the Sunday, the moots were held at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut

The team on its way to its first moot (tram n°1)

EFB v. King’s College
Marike Baldew, Louise Reilly and Ioanna Thoma

King's College v Elon University
Louise Reilly, Ioanna Thoma and Jennifer Kirby

On the Monday, the moots took place at the Peace Palace.

Sciences Po v. King’s College
Matthijs Abiola, Cathrien Nieuwveld and Makinwa van Royen

2009-03-28T07:13:00.000Z

The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot is an annual international moot court competition held inVienna, Austria. The object of the Vis Arbitral Moot is to foster study in the areas of international commercial and arbitration laws and encourage the resolution of business disputes by arbitration. The problem for the moot is always based on an international sales transaction subjected to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the Intenational Sale of Goods, 1980 (also referred to as CISG) and also involves procedural issues of arbitration. The moot consists of submitting written memoranda prior to the moot on designated dates for both sides of the dispute (Claimant and Respondent in legal terminology). The oral arguments phase of the moot is held in Vienna.

This year, 233 Universities from 58 Countries are participating. The Team representing King's College London, one of the 10 teams from United Kingdom, consists of four members: Camille Fléchet, Katherine Lim, Bram van Eeckhout and Basile Zajdela.