NYU Law invites you to take part in the selection process for the NYU team participating in the 16th Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (Vienna) and the Sixth Annual Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot (Hong Kong).
The Arbitration Moot is a unique competition designed to foster an interest and develop the requisite skill set for a successful career in the fields of international commercial law and international commercial arbitration. The Moot brings together top law students from nearly 200 law schools all over the world. The cast of arbitrators is truly outstanding—hundreds of world-class practitioners and renowned scholars from both civil- and common-law jurisdictions judge the Moot every year. The competition provides an unparalleled personal and professional experience; students find that their participation in the Moot is not only academically enriching, but also a delightful cross-cultural experience.
Goals of the Moot
The objective of the Moot is to stimulate the study of international commercial law, especially UNCITRAL legal texts, and the use of international commercial arbitration to resolve international commercial disputes. It is a clinical exercise designed to train law students through two distinct, yet equally important, phases: the writing of memoranda for Claimant and Respondent, and oral advocacy in a simulated arbitral setting. Both phases are adjudicated by prominent arbitration practitioners and scholars.
Structure of the Moot
The Moot involves a dispute arising out of a contract of sale between two nationals of states parties to the U.N. Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (the CISG). Additional information about the Vienna situs of the competition is available at www.cisg.law.pace.edu/vis.html; information about the Hong Kong situs of the competition is available at www.cisgmoot.org.
Prerequisites for Participation in the Moot
- Strong interest in, and familiarity with, international commercial arbitration and, more generally, dispute resolution
- Basic knowledge of international sales law and/or conflict of laws (enrollment in applicable courses during the 2008-09 academic year will be considered)
- Interest in oral advocacy
- Non-eligibility to practice law in your home jurisdiction (exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis)
Requirements of Moot Team Members
- Extensive legal research on international commercial arbitration, international sales law and conflict of laws/arbitral procedure
- Preparation of legal memoranda on behalf of Claimant and Respondent—please note that preparation of the Claimant’s Memoranda requires work over the Thanksgiving break and that the Respondent’s Memoranda is due very early in the Spring, so team membership requires a significant amount of work over the winter break
- Considerable training in oral advocacy
- Oral arguments before panels of three arbitrators in either Vienna or Hong Kong
If you are interested in being considered for NYU’s 2008-09 Vis and Vis (East) teams, please contact both Jocelyn Burgos (jocelyn0102@gmail.com) and Chris Alberti (albertic@adr.org).