Law students from The University of Queensland are celebrating after winning the Australian rounds of the 2012 Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Canberra last week.
In a closely contested final moot held at the High Court of Australia, UQ prevailed against the University of Melbourne before the Honourable Justice William Gummow AC; the US Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Ambassador Jeffrey L Bleich, and Professor Penelope Mathew of the Australian National University.
The UQ TC Beirne School of Law moot team - Annabel Baker, Courtney Coyne, Thomas Galloway, Whitny Kapa and Jules Moxon - are now busy preparing for the competition's final stages, the White & Case International Rounds, to be held in Washington DC in March.
Jules Moxon was judged the best advocate in the Australian final, while the team's written submission for the applicant was ranked equal second in the competition.
UQ won three of its preliminary round moots in Canberra to qualify for the quarter-finals against 2010 Jessup World Champion, the Australian National University, before defeating the University of Sydney, winner of the 2011 competition, in the semi-final round.
Faculty advisor, Associate Professor Anthony Cassimatis, praised the UQ team and their coach, law student Catherine Drummond, for the considerable time and effort they have invested in the Jessup moot competition.
"Each team member has made a distinctive contribution to the victory in Canberra and their research was excellent," Associate Professor Cassimatis said.
"Ultimately, success in the Jessup is built upon integrity and honesty in legal research and upon the capacity to work effectively as a team. The 2012 UQ Jessup team has excelled in both these respects but the spirit of mutual support and camaraderie in particular has been the foundation of the team's success."
Associate Professor Cassimatis also acknowledged the "strong support" provided by law firms Minter Ellison and Norton Rose, UQ staff, former 'Jessupers' and the members of the legal profession and judiciary who assisted with the team's practice moots.
"This year's UQ Jessup challenge would not have been possible without them," he said.
He offered special thanks to Justice Margaret White for her generous contribution in organising an exhibition moot at the Queensland Court of Appeal for the team's friends and families before the competition in Canberra.
The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the world's largest competitive moot court event. Now in its 53rd year, the prestigious global competition is contested by teams from over 500 law schools in more than 80 countries.
The competition simulates fictional disputes between countries before the International Court of Justice with teams required to prepare oral and written pleadings arguing both the applicant and respondent positions of the case.
This year's Jessup Problem addressed the legality of the destruction of a cultural site, representation of a State after a coup d' etat, and State responsibility for a regional operation.
Media:
Associate Professor Anthony Cassimatis
TC Beirne School of Law
07 3365 2446
a.cassimatis@law.uq.edu.au
Melissa Reynolds
TC Beirne School of Law
07 3365 2523
m.reynolds@law.uq.edu.au
