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The Vis Moot (CISG- og voldgiftprocesspillet) 

The Vis Moot (Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot or in Danish CISG- og voldgiftprocesspillet) is one of the largest and most prestigious international moot courts in the world. More than 200 teams from universities all around the world participate and compete in writing memoranda and oral argumentation rounds in Vienna. The moot is special in the way that it is an arbitration moot court and the only moot court focusing on International Commercial Law. Thus, the moot court is based on a dispute arising in the area of the sales of goods and it arises between two countries who are parties to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). The parties will furthermore have enacted the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and are parties to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (the New York Convention). The dispute that the competition is based on will give rise to both procedural issues concerning international commercial arbitration and substantive issues concerning the sale of goods and the CISG.

The law firm Bruun & Hjejle is sponsoring the Vis Moot. Bruun & Hjejle will inter alia arrange meetings and practice rounds with experts on international commercial arbitration and a meeting with one of the firm's librarians in order to assist the participants in their research. Bruun & Hjejle will also pay for the participants' travel and hotel expenses in relation to the competition in Vienna.

The participants will throughout the whole moot be coached and guided by the Vis Moot coaches Peter Fauerholdt Thommesen and Martin Vasehus Madsen. Participation in the Vis Moot can count for up to 20 ECTS.

Application

The deadline for application to participate in the Vis Moot 2011/12 is 25 August 2011. Application is done by sending the following to mvm@bruunhjejle.dk:

• A one page written statement in English describing the motivation for applying and relevant theoretical and practical skills.
• A short CV in English.
• Copy of all exam results obtained in the course of legal studies.

Based on the written applications qualified applicants will be called to interviews on 29 August 2011 between 13.00 and 15.00.

There will also be an application round with deadline for applying on 16 September 2011 with interviews shortly thereafter. This application is generally reserved for exchange students and students who due to studies abroad or traveling cannot apply in August. This application procedure will be the same as outlined above.

Timeline

The Vis Moot begins on 7 October 2011 when the problem is distributed on the Vis Moot's webpage. The participants will, however, meet with the coaches and do some light preliminary research before this. When the problem has been distributed the participants will thoroughly research and outline the legal issues raised in the problem. Along with the guidance and coaching from the two coaches the participants will develop the factual understanding and legal research of scholarly writing and case law into sophisticated arguments. The participants will firstly complete a memorandum on behalf of Claimant due on 8 December 2011. Secondly, the participants will respond to one of the other participating teams' memorandum and complete a memorandum on behalf of Respondent due on 19 January 2012.

When the written phase is completed the participants have a break until the start of February where the practice of oral argumentation of the case begins. There will generally be two practice rounds per week in February and March. Bruun & Hjejle will facilitate practice rounds with qualified employees and guests acting as arbitrators so as to make the experience as close to a real arbitration as possible.

The Vis Moot culminates with the oral rounds in Vienna from approximately 29 March until 5 April 2012. During the oral rounds the bench of arbitrators consists of experts throughout the world within this area. There will be held an Awards Banquet in Vienna where different awards will be given to the teams and participants that have made a qualifying memoranda or qualifying oral argumentation. Copenhagen University has a strong track record in the competition.

Expected work and interplay with other courses

The Vis Moot is intensive and students applying should be ready to show commitment and put in the needed work. With that said, it is normal that participants take one or sometimes two other candidate courses per semester while participating in the Vis Moot.

As a final remark, participation in the Vis Moot is a unique opportunity for students to thoroughly train the legal method and art of argumentation while learning in detail about international commercial law and arbitration. And participants are given the opportunity to learn from the best when they argue in Vienna with some of the world's leading individuals within this field acting as arbitrators.

You can find further information on the course page and on the Vis Moot official webpage.

Questions regarding the application process or the Vis Moot in general should be sent to: mvm@bruunhjejle.dk.