Harvard Law School’s Jessup International Moot Court team won the Jessup Northeast Regional round in New York on Feb. 16. The win qualifies the team to compete in the International Round in Washington, D.C., in April.
An international law advocacy competition for law students, the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the world’s largest moot court competition, with participants from over 550 law schools in more than 80 countries.
In the Northeast Regional round, which brought together 24 law school teams from New England and New York, Harvard Law defeated Boston College in the semi-finals and defending champions Columbia in the final round. The two top finishers from the Northeast Regional round move on the International Round.
The Harvard team, which included Melissa Chastang ’14, Max Rosen ’15, Dean Rosenberg ’15 and captain Phil Underwood ’14, was awarded the prize for best overall memorials (written submissions).
Each team consists of two teams of oralists who argue as either the applicant or respondent in a public international law problem under the rules of the International Court of Justice. Rosen was named second place oralist in the tournament. The team is coached by Aphrodite Giovanopoulou LL.M. ’12 and James Grace LL.M. ’14.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations.