The Vis Arbitration Moot is the largest international competition in the fields of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and international arbitration. It offers students the opportunity to apply their legal knowledge in practice with comprehensive professional guidance. The competition is highly regarded by leading international law firms worldwide, especially those in the Anglo-Saxon legal sphere. Organised by the the Association for the Organization and Promotion of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, it involves over 2,500 students from more than 370 universities across 80 countries competing in simulated arbitration proceedings.
The starting point is a fictional cross-border legal dispute between two commercial entities, to be resolved through arbitration. The legal issues involve international arbitration and the CISG, encompassing both substantive and procedural matters. Each participating university assembles a team that drafts a Memorandum for Claimant and a Memorandum for Respondent in English in the time from October to February.
In March and April, oral hearings take place where teams present their arguments as Claimant and Respondent before panels of three arbitrators in venues such as the Vienna Juridicum or the Chinese University of Hong Kong School of Law. These panels consist of esteemed professors, full-time arbitrators, and practitioners specialising in international commercial and economic law.
The competition provides students with their first opportunity to go beyond theoretical studies and apply their knowledge in practice, particularly honing skills in legal strategy from an advocate's perspective. The experience helps participants develop valuable legal and rhetorical skills, useful for university exams, state exams, and future professional careers.
Teamwork:
Working within a guided yet independent framework, you will learn to research, discuss, and plead cases together.
English Proficiency:
Both the memoranda and oral hearings are conducted in legal English. Through intensive research using international literature and databases and multiple practice hearings, participants develop fluency in negotiation-level English.
International Exposure:
With over 2,500 students from 370 universities in 80 countries participating, you will learn from the approaches of other legal systems.
Networking Opportunities:
During preparation, receptions, practice hearings ("Pre-Moots"), and feedback sessions, you can meet renowned professionals in international commercial and economic law. In Vienna and Hong Kong, social events and hearings provide further opportunities to connect with judges, lawyers and professors from around the world.
Certificates and Recognition:
It is possible to gain certificates for successful participation in the Willem C. Vis Moot and/or receive extensions for state law exams under § 37(4) JAPO; successful participation can also be counted towards your degree as one month of practical study pursuant to § 25 JAPO.
General Overview:
Teams must consist of at least two members who will research and plead cases together. Teams start preparatory work before receiving the case details.
Drafting of Memoranda:
The case is released globally in early October, and teams begin drafting their memoranda. A memorandum for Claimant is due in December. Subsequently, each team receives the memorandum of another university, to which they must respond with a Memorandum for Respondent. This process involves comprehensively addressing the opposing team's arguments. Typically, teams from continental European legal traditions face opponents from common law countries (e.g. India, Australia, UK, USA or Canada).
Preparation for Oral Hearings in Vienna:
After submitting written briefs in January, teams prepare for oral arguments by converting the written submissions into pleadings and developing negotiation strategies. Training also emphasises rhetorical skills. Practice hearings are held with law firms across Germany and sometimes abroad.
The oral hearings in Vienna include four general rounds, where each team pleads against an opponent they have already addressed in writing and against three new opponents. Following these rounds, only a fraction of teams proceeds to the elimination rounds: the Round of 64, the Round of 32, the Round of 16, the Quarterfinals, the Semifinals, and ultimately, the Final, where the two best teams compete for victory.
