The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, also known as the Jessup, is the largest and most prestigious moot competition in the world, attracting participants from over 500 law schools in more than 100 countries in recent years.[1][2][3][4][5] The competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The competition is named after Philip Jessup, who once served on the ICJ. It is organised by the International Law Students Association.
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The international round of the moot is held yearly in Washington D.C., usually in the first week of April. The competition is timed to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Society of International Law.
The moot involves arguing a hypothetical case on issues of international law as if before the International Court of Justice. The hypothetical case usually involves topical issues in international law. Thus, recent competitions have embraced issues of universal jurisdiction, the International Criminal Court, international maritime law, balancing responses to terrorism with human rights, and many other pressing issues.
Each team normally contains five competitors, although teams have been known to contain as few as two competitors. Each team must prepare to argue the sides of both the Applicant and Respondent in the case, and must produce a written memorial for each side of the case. Each round, two competitors from a team will argue one side of the case (chosen at random). A third team member may be seated at the bar table, but may not present argument.
There is no common team organisation. Some teams dedicate two oralists to each side of the argument, with the fifth person serving as a "brief editor", alternate oralist, researcher, librarian or logistical support. In other teams, only two or three speakers will present oral argument, with at least one person arguing both Applicant and Respondent sides. In addition, most teams also include coaches who advise and prepare their teams throughout the year prior to the competition. Coaches include the respective universities' international law faculty and/or past Jessup competitors.
Countries are represented by one or more teams at the White & Case International Rounds of the Jessup competition, depending on the number of teams that have entered the national competition. As a result, most countries hold domestic competitions to select the best team to advance to the international competition in Washington D.C. International law firms proudly associate themselves with the Jessup at various levels. For instance, in Canada and Russia, universities compete in a national competition sponsored by international law firm White & Case. In addition to sponsoring the International Rounds and the ultimate Jessup prize—the White & Case Cup—international law firm White & Case also sponsors the competition at a national level. The Russian competition, like the vast majority of national competitions, is held in the English language. In fact, considering that the final rounds are held in English, and that teams wishing to compete in a different language carry the burden of providing translation services into English, it is exceptional for a national round to be held in a language other than English. Subsequently, the winning team advances to Washington to compete for the White & Case Jessup Cup.
The United States is usually represented by eleven to twelve regional teams based on participation by nearly 150 law schools. The United States is by far the largest participant country although Russia is growing exponentially with 43 teams participating in 2007. American law schools fielding Jessup teams must prevail at competitive regional competitions prior to advancing to the international competition. At the regional level, competition between schools is fierce, and includes rivalries between top American law schools.
One of the main reasons for Jessup's popularity and prestige is the caliber of students that compete at the international level. By the time teams arrive in Washington D.C., competitors are fluent in basic principles of international law, international institutions and procedures. In addition, students have an extraordinary grasp of international case law, as well as current events. Competitors are expected to have nearly encyclopedic knowledge of pertinent cases (such as ICTR, ICTY, and ICJ cases) as well as secondary materials by leading international law scholars.
Teams advancing to the White & Case International Rounds in Washington D.C. compete during three days of preliminary moots. Teams with the highest point totals advance to round of sixteen, quarterfinal, semifinal and then final rounds.
Traditionally, following the announcement of the teams which advance to quarterfinals, the remaining teams throw large parties in their respective hotels and various D.C. bars. These parties are notorious for the traditional exchange of local drinks, toasts, and other cultural mores. In addition, Jessup also hosts an international party during which competitors don traditional costumes, sing ethnic songs, and perform traditional dances.
The National University of Singapore holds the highest number of top-two finishes in the competition (four times champions; seven times runner-up), has the most Baxter Awards (five), Evans Awards (four), and Best Finals Oralist titles (six).[6] It is tied with University of Sydney and University of Toronto for most number of Best Oralist titles (three).[6] Since 2000, teams from Australian universities have dominated the world titles, winning the competition six times and being runner-up twice.[6]
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Semi-finalists | Memorial winners[7] | No. of teams worldwide | No. of teams at international rounds |
| 1960 | No Champion Declared | — | — | — | 2 | 2 |
| 1961 | No Champion Declared | — | — | — | 4 | 3 |
| 1962 | No Champion Declared | — | — | — | 6 | 3 |
| 1963 | Columbia University (USA) | University of North Carolina (USA) | Overall: Columbia University (USA) | 8 | 2 | |
| 1964 | University of Texas (USA) | — | Overall: University of Texas (USA) | 15 | 4 | |
| 1965 | Columbia University (USA) | University of Virginia (USA) | Overall: Columbia University (USA) | 16 | 4 | |
| 1966 | University of Texas (USA) | University of Wisconsin (USA) | Overall: University of Texas (USA) | 27 | 5 | |
| 1967 | Vanderbilt University (USA) | Harvard University (USA) | Overall: Vanderbilt University (USA) | 35 | 5 | |
| 1968 | Duke University (USA) | University of Miami (USA) | Overall: Duke University (USA) | 32 | 6 | |
| 1969 | Rutgers University (USA) University of Michigan (USA) |
— | Overall: California Western University (USA) | 40 | 8 | |
| 1970 | University of Miami (USA) | University of Kentucky (USA) | Overall: University of Miami (USA) | 56 | 9 | |
| 1971 | University of Texas (USA) | University of California (USA) | Overall: Vanderbilt University (USA) | 73 | 9 | |
| 1972 | University of Miami (USA) | Haile Selassie I University (Ethiopia) | Overall: Haile Selassie I University (Ethiopia) | 99 | 16 | |
| 1973 | West Virginia University (USA) | Brunel University (UK) | Evans Award: State University of Utrecht (Netherlands) | 94 | 17 | |
| 1974 | University of Texas (USA) | Haile Selassie I University (Ethiopia) | Evans Award: University of Nigeria (Nigeria) | 103 | 18 | |
| 1975 | Cambridge University (UK) | Georgetown University (USA) | Evans Award: University of Toronto (Canada) | 119 | 20 | |
| 1976 | University of Toronto (Canada) | American University (USA) | Evans Award: University of Toronto (Canada) | 134 | 22 | |
| 1977 | University of Kansas (USA) | University of Toronto (Canada) | Overall: University of Toronto (Canada) | 157 | 29 | |
| 1978 | Brooklyn Law School (USA) | University of Toronto (Canada) | Applicant: University of Toronto (Canada) Respondent: University of Toronto (Canada) |
154 | 20 | |
| 1979 | Northwestern University (USA) | University of Adelaide (Australia) | Applicant: University of the Philippines (Philippines) Respondent: University of the Philippines (Philippines) |
187 | 34 | |
| 1980 | Georgetown University (USA) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Applicant: University of Washington (USA) Respondent: University of Washington (USA) |
196 | 35 | |
| 1981 | Australian National University (Australia) | University of the Pacific (USA) | Applicant: University of Georgia (USA) Respondent: Washington and Lee University (USA) |
181 | 28 | |
| 1982 | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | University of the Pacific (USA) | Applicant: National University of Singapore (Singapore) Respondent: Fordham University (USA) |
197 | 29 | |
| 1983 | University of Kansas (USA) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Applicant: Fordham University (USA) Respondent: Fordham University (USA) |
206 | 30 | |
| 1984 | Dalhousie University (Canada) | South Texas College of Law (USA) | Applicant: Freie Universitaet (Germany) Respondent: Freie Universitaet (Germany) |
197 | 33 | |
| 1985 | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Southwestern University (USA) | Applicant: Monash University (Australia) Respondent: Monash University (Australia) |
213 | 36 | |
| 1986 | Boston College (USA) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Applicant: Boston College (USA) Respondent: Boston College (USA) |
214 | 38 | |
| 1987 | Georgetown University (USA) | Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) | Applicant: National University of Singapore (Singapore) Respondent: National University of Singapore (Singapore) |
268 | 40 | |
| 1988 | University of Melbourne (Australia) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Applicant: Southern Illinois University (USA) Respondent: Southern Illinois University (USA) |
265 | 39 | |
| 1989 | University of British Columbia (Canada) | University of Melbourne (Australia) | Applicant: University of British Columbia (Canada) Respondent: University of British Columbia (Canada) |
259 | 39 | |
| 1990 | University of Georgia (USA) | University of Toronto (Canada) | Applicant: South Texas College of Law (USA) Respondent: University of Melbourne (Australia) |
253 | 40 | |
| 1991 | University of Saskatchewan (Canada) | University of Georgia (USA) | Applicant: University of Georgia (USA) Respondent: University of Georgia (USA) |
243 | 42 | |
| 1992 | Universite de Paris I (France) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Applicant: University of the Pacific (USA) Respondent: University of Washington (USA) |
242 | 33 | |
| 1993 | University of Melbourne (Australia) | University of Hawaii (USA) | Applicant: University of Minnesota (USA) Respondent: Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai (India) |
261 | 43 | |
| 1994 | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | University of Melbourne (Australia) | Applicant: International Islamic University (Malaysia) Respondent: University of Alabama (USA) |
269 | 47 | |
| 1995 | University of the Philippines (Philippines) | University of Western Australia (Australia) | Applicant: University of Alabama (USA) Respondent: University of Hawaii (USA) |
259 | 49 | |
| 1996 | University of Sydney (Australia) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Applicant: National University of Singapore (Singapore) Respondent: University of Vienna (Austria) |
300 | 54 | |
| 1997 | Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) | University of Calgary (Canada) | Evans Award: University of Vienna (Austria) | 280 | 55 | |
| 1998 | Universidad Autonoma Nacional de Mexico (Mexico) | Australian National University (Australia) | Applicant: University of Hawaii (USA) Respondent: University of Hawaii (USA) |
275 | 57 | |
| 1999 | National Law School of India University (India) | University of Pretoria (South Africa) | Applicant: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) Respondent: University of Saskatchewan (Canada) |
275 | 62 | |
| 2000 | University of Melbourne (Australia) | Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) | Applicant: University of Alabama (USA) Respondent: International Islamic University (Malaysia) |
287 | 67 | |
| 2001 | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) | Applicant: New England School of Law (USA) Respondent: University of Vienna (Austria) |
309 | 68 | |
| 2002 | University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) | University of Western Australia (Australia) | Harvard University (USA) Georgetown University (USA) |
Applicant: University of Otago (New Zealand) Respondent: Harvard University (USA) |
384 | 75 |
| 2003 | University of Western Australia (Australia) | Mari State University (Russia) | Columbia University (USA) Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) |
Applicant: Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) Respondent: Bond University (Australia) |
481 | 83 |
| 2004 | Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (Mexico) University of Vienna (Austria) |
Applicant: Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) Respondent: University of Queensland (Australia) |
524 | 94 |
| 2005 | University of Queensland (Australia) | International Islamic University (Malaysia) | Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) American University (USA) |
Applicant: Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) Respondent: Columbia University (USA) |
543 | 103 |
| 2006 | Columbia University (USA) | Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) | NALSAR University of Law (India) University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
Applicant: Hong Kong University (Hong Kong) Respondent: University of Kiel (Germany) |
565 | 101 |
| 2007 | University of Sydney (Australia) | King's College London (UK) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) University of Queensland (Australia) |
Applicant: Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) Respondent: Washington University in Saint Louis (USA) |
101 | |
| 2008 | Case Western Reserve University (USA) | University of New South Wales (Australia) | University College London (UK) National Law School of India University (India) |
Applicant: Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines) Respondent: University of Ottawa (Canada) |
||
| 2009 | Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) | University College London (UK) | Aristotle University (Greece) Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) |
Applicant: King's College London (UK) Respondent: University of Sydney (Australia) |
||
| 2010 | Australian National University (Australia) | Columbia University (USA) | NALSAR University of Law (India) University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) |
Applicant: National University of Singapore (Singapore) Respondent: Australian National University (Australia) |
127 | |
| 2011 | University of Sydney (Australia) | Columbia University (USA) | National University of Singapore (Singapore) Norman Manley Law School (Jamaica) |
Applicant: Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) Respondent: Xiamen University (China) |
| University | Champion | Runner-up | Baxter Award[8] or Best Memorial | Dillard Award[9] | Evans Award[10] | Best oralist | Best finals oralist | Last championship | Last finals appearance |
| National University of Singapore (Singapore) | 4 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2001 | 2004 | |
| University of Texas (USA) | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1974 | 1974 | ||
| University of Melbourne (Australia) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Columbia University (USA) | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2006 | 2011 | |
| University of Sydney (Australia) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2011 | 2011 | |
| University of Miami (USA) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1972 | 1972 | |||
| Australian National University (Australia) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2010 | 2010 | |
| Georgetown University (USA) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1987 | 1987 | |||
| University of Kansas (USA) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1983 | 1983 | |||
| University of Toronto (Canada) | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1976 | 1990 | |
| Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1997 | 2006 | |
| University of Western Australia (Australia) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2003 | 2003 | |
| University of Georgia (USA) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1990 | 1991 | ||
| University of the Philippines (Philippines) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Boston College (USA) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| University of British Columbia (Canada) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1989 | 1989 | ||
| Vanderbilt University (USA) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1967 | 1967 | |||
| Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2004 | 2004 | |||
| Duke University (USA) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Case Western Reserve University (USA) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2008 | 2008 | |||
| University of Queensland (Australia) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2005 | 2005 | ||||
| University of Saskatchewan (Canada) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1991 | 1991 | ||||
| National Law School of India University (India) | 1 | 0 | 1999 | 1999 | |||||
| Cambridge University (UK) | 1 | 0 | 1975 | 1975 | |||||
| Haile Selassie I University (Ethiopia) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1974 | ||
| University of the Pacific (USA) | 0 | 2 | 1 | NA | 1982 | ||||
| University of Hawaii (USA) | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | ||
| International Islamic University (Malaysia) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | NA | 2005 | ||
| Harvard University (USA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | ||
| South Texas College of Law (USA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1984 | ||||
| Fordham University (USA) | 0 | 0 | 3 | NA | NA | ||||
| Monash University (Australia) | 0 | 0 | 2 | NA | NA |
| Country | Number of championships |
Number of runners-up |
Last championship |
Last finals appearance |
| USA | 22 | 16 | 2006 | 2011 |
| Australia | 10 | 7 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Singapore | 4 | 7 | 2001 | 2004 |
| Canada | 4 | 4 | 1991 | 1997 |
| Philippines | 2 | 0 | 2004 | 2004 |
| Venezuela | 1 | 3 | 1997 | 2006 |
| UK | 1 | 2 | 1975 | 2009 |
| South Africa | 1 | 1 | 2002 | 2002 |
| Colombia | 1 | 0 | ||
| France | 1 | 0 | 1992 | 1992 |
| India | 1 | 0 | ||
| Mexico | 1 | 0 | ||
| Ethiopia | 0 | 2 | NA | 1974 |
| Belgium | 0 | 1 | NA | |
| Malaysia | 0 | 1 | NA | 2005 |
| Russia | 0 | 1 | NA | 2003 |