Law students earn praise at international moot competition
The competition involved 64 teams representing renowned law schools from 17 countries and regions. SLW hosted the prestigious competition this year as it welcomed more than 500 students, coaches and arbitrators from around the world.
The CityU delegation included Au Lut-chi, Cheng Hiu-man, Lam Ho-yan, Robert Sit Tsing-yui and Edward Tang Ho-ming, Bachelor of Laws students, and Tobias Cheng Yun-chung, Juris Doctor student. Their efforts in preparing for the competition were not only a testament to their strong team ethic, but also to their remarkable presentation skills.
Professor Wang Guiguo, Dean of SLW, said organising and participating in such a prestigious international moot competition was a valuable experience for CityU. “SLW is honoured to provide a platform for law scholars and students to learn more about Hong Kong’s legal education and to exchange global legal knowledge. The competition is also one of our major initiatives in reinforcing arbitration training and global legal education for law students,” said Professor Wang. “I do appreciate the strong desire of our students to enhance their professional knowledge outside the classroom.”
The case study used as the debate topic involved an international sales dispute between an imported car dealer in a developing country and a multinational manufacturer of automotive products. The students were required to demonstrate their understanding of international commercial arbitration and showcase their debating skills. The competition required a team from the civil law school to debate a team from the common law school during each general round of written and moot court exercises.
“Our team competed against other teams from around the world and this helped to boost my understanding of the civil and common law systems and various debating techniques,” said Au Lut-chi, who was taking part in his first competition. He also thanked his team members for polishing his knowledge of complicated international law concepts.
Edward Tang said he gained confidence in his application of legal knowledge and sharpened his team-building skills.
Mr Rajesh Sharma, Visiting Assistant Professor of SLW, and Dr Vernon Nase, Adjunct Professor of SLW, provided practical assistance to help the team prepare. They pointed out that the moot competition provided good research and debate training for students and assisted in their professional growth and self-development.
The Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot is an offshoot of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot that originated in Vienna. The competition offers law students a unique educational experience and is helping to develop a culture of international arbitration in the Asian region.