University of Nairobi Faculty of Law wins John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition

This year, 77 universities from around the world participated in the competition, which involves a simulated hearing under the rules of the WTO dispute settlement system. The 24 best teams from 13 WTO members that emerged from the regional rounds convened in Geneva for the Final Oral Round. The Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body, Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota of Brazil, welcomed the students at the opening ceremony.  Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met the students on 26 June to congratulate them on their hard work and to encourage them to stay active in the trade law community. 

After three days of intense competition, four teams qualified for the semi-finals: the University of Nairobi Faculty of Law, Kenya; the National Law School of India University, Bangalore; the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Faculty of Law, Ukraine; and the KU Leuven Faculty of Law and Criminology, Belgium. The University of Nairobi Faculty of Law and the National Law School of India University advanced to the Grand Final. 

The distinguished panel of trade law experts presiding over the Grand Final was chaired by Jennifer Hillman, Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center. Other panel members included one of the case authors, Professor Michelle Limenta of Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia; Roy Santana, Counsellor in the WTO Market Access Division; Professor Isabelle Van Damme, Director of Studies at the World Trade Institute, Bern - the academic supporter of the competition; Joanna Redelbach, Counsel in the Brussels office of the platinum sponsor, Van Bael and Bellis; Kholofelo Kugler of Besso - a member of the Academic Board of the Moot Court; and Marios Tokas, associate in the Brussels office of Cassidy Levy Kent and a previous case author.

The winning team from the University of Nairobi comprised Mr Ian Kamau Irungu, Mr Isaac Kimeu Kioko, and Ms Libby Njoki Maina. The second-place team from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, consisted of Ms Bhumika Bansal, Ms Chahat Bhambri, and Mr Gurnoor Singh. 

Both teams demonstrated outstanding performances in their regional rounds held in Yaoundé and Jodhpur. During the Final Oral Round week, they exhibited exceptional oral advocacy skills and a strong command of WTO law. The WTO extends its congratulations to both teams and wishes them success in their future trade law endeavours. 

Prizes (including scholarships for courses at the World Trade Institute at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and small gifts from the WTO Secretariat, Mayer Brown, and the Advisory Centre on WTO Law) were handed out to selected students in recognition of excellence in written submissions and oratorical skills. 

WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang handed out the prizes to the winners as follows: 

• KU Leuven Faculty of Law and Criminology, Belgium: Best Complainant Written Submission
• Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) - Faculté de Droit et de Criminologie, Belgium: Best Respondent Written Submission
• KU Leuven Faculty of Law and Criminology, Belgium: Best Overall Written Submissions
• Ms Varun Punnam, Georgetown University Law Center, US: Best Orator of the Preliminary Rounds
• Mr Ian Irungu, University of Nairobi Faculty of Law, Kenya: Best Orator of the Quarter-final Rounds
• Mr Isaac Kimeu Kioko, University of Nairobi Faculty of Law, Kenya: Best Orator of the Semi-final Rounds
• Ms Chahat Bhambri, National Law School of India University, Bangalore: Best Orator in the Grand Final.

In addition, all participants in the Final Oral Round, including the coaches, are eligible to apply for a 50% tuition scholarship to study at Georgetown University Law Center (United States). Georgetown will designate two Jackson scholars each year. 

The competition is organized by the European Law Students' Association (ELSA). The WTO has been a technical supporter of the competition since its inception in 2002. The John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition is an example of the WTO's broad support for capacity building. 

The recording of the grand final is available here. For more information about the John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition, visit its website here.