PCA Vis Pre-Moot 2021

On 22 and 23 March 2021, the PCA hosted virtual pre-moot rounds for the Twenty-Eighth Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot from its headquarters in the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands.

A record number of 24 teams participated, representing universities from 19 countries:

• Bilkent University (Turkey);
• Bocconi University (Italy);
• Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain);
• Université de Carthage (Tunisia);
• Columbia University (U.S.A.);
• King’s College London (U.K.);
• University of Lisbon (Portugal);
• Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia);
• London School of Economics (U.K.);
• University of Marburg (Germany);
• McGill University (Canada);
• Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) University (Russia);
• University of Nairobi (Kenya);
• National Law Institute University, Bhopal (India);
• National Law University, Delhi (India);
• National University of Singapore (Singapore);
• Prince Sultan University (Saudi Arabia);
• Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands);
• Saarland University (Germany);
• Ss Cyril and Methodius University (Macedonia);
• University of St. Gallen (Switzerland);
• University of Sydney (Australia);
• University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); and
• West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (India).

 
Over two days, each team had the chance to plead four times (twice on behalf of the Claimant and twice on behalf of the Respondents) before tribunals composed of international arbitration specialists from various jurisdictions and legal backgrounds. The teams received detailed feedback on their pleadings so as to assist with their preparation before the competition commences on 26 March 2021.

 
After four rounds, the team with the highest average total score was the National Law University, Delhi (India). The runner-up was Bilkent University (Turkey), while Saarland University (Germany) placed third. The oralists with the highest scores were Ms. Saavni Kamath of the National Law Institute University, Bhopal (India), and Ms. E. Sarashika of the National Law University, Delhi (India).

 
The PCA would like to thank all teams and arbitrators for making the pre-moot a success once again.  The PCA wishes all teams the best of luck for the virtual competition in Vienna.