The Cambridge Jessup team has reached the final of the UK National Rounds of the Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, after wins in the quarter-finals (University of Bristol) and semi-finals (University of Nottingham) at Gray’s Inn from 15 to 17 February 2019.
King’s College London, the winning team, and Cambridge will now go forward to the International Rounds of the competition, which will be held from 30 March to 6 April 2019 in Washington DC.
The UK final was held before a distinguished bench composed of Sir Michael Wood (presiding), Malcolm Forster and Agnieszka Zarówna.
This year’s Cambridge Jessup Team is composed of second year undergraduate Tripos students Imogen Beltrami (Jesus), Christian Halt (Wolfson), Gabriel Tan (Girton) and Tiffany Tang (Magdalene). PhD student Bruno Gelinas-Faucher (Jesus) coached the team, and Dr Michael Waibel served as Faculty advisor.
The 2018-2019 season marks the 60th year of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Jessup is the world's largest moot court competition, with participants from over 700 law schools in 95 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. The case for 2019 concerns the appropriation of traditional knowledge for commercial purposes, state responsibility for corporate environmental degradation and human rights violations, and majestic herds of migratory yaks.
Responding to the win, Michael Waibel said
"It is wonderful to see the talent and hard work of Tripos students Christian, Gabriel, Imogen, Tiffany and coach Bruno rewarded with their participation in the International Rounds. Representing the UK as one of two UK teams in Washington D.C. in early April 2019 is a great honour."