Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition

The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the world’s largest moot court competition, with participants from over 500 law schools in more than 80 countries. The competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. Each team is required to prepare oral and written pleadings arguing as both the applicant and respondent.

Thousands of law students from around the world work all year long on the Jessup Problem, which addresses the power and authority of the International Court of Justice and other important international law issues. Students first compete in national and regional competitions, held in January-February, to earn the right to advance to the world championship Shearman & Sterling International Rounds held every spring in Washington, D.C.

The recent topics include the following: (1) whether an obligation exists to admit a country into a multi-state union; (2) whether a multinational corporation’s decision to stop vaccine trials in one of its manufacturing host countries violates that country’s sovereignty.

Tryouts for the Jessup team take place in April, and team members are required to take a course in international law during the fall semester. Students who are 1Ls in April, may be eligible for this team, though they have not yet taken Herzog.

In 2010, Amy Cullnan, Lena Lee, MaCayn May, Amy Mitchell, and Elizabeth Lazicki reached the Quarterfinal round, placing Fifth in the competition. In 2009, Kelli Koebcki, Lena Lee, Todd McHenry, Joseph Miller, and Dennis Coleman were Semifinalist s and had the Fifth Best Brief. Todd McHenry was the Thirteenth Best Oralist. In 2006 Tara Beth Davis, Bryan Jones, Sarah Resavy, and Alen Takhsh advanced to Semifinals, and Alen Takhsh won Third Best Oralist.

2016-2017 International Competition Team

Team: Alexis Andersen, Alex Boyd, Aleksandra Hodowany, Eric Kloczkowski & Thomas Skelton
Coach: Professor Mark Wojcik

2014-2015 International Competition Team

Team: Julie A. Black, Andrew S. Macas, Colleen Jordan Orscheln & Saiena Shafiezadeh
Coach: Professor Stuart Ford

2013-2014 International Competition Team

Team: Christopher Cardona, Gregory Lederman, Izabela Paznanski, Rebecca Riegert & Magdalena Wilk
Coach: Professors William BT Mock Jr. & Mark Wojcik
Award: 2nd Place, 5th Best Oralist (Regionals)

2012-2013 International Competition Team

Team: Ray Chung, Robert Erickson, Jolene Kaminski, Blythe Milby & Bonnie Swanson
Coach: Professor Mark Wojcik

2011-2012 International Competition Team

Team: Nicole Doubleday, Larissa Hachinski, Colleen McMahon, Maria Merman & Alex Whitt
Coach: Professor Sonia Green
Award: 5th Best Brief

2010-2011 International Competition Team

Team: Anthony Boyle, Elizabeth Lazicki, Matt Martin, Molly Nelson & Bobby Saleem
Coach: Professor Kim Chanbonpin