UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY LAW SCHOOL
PHILIP C. JESSUP INTERNATIONAL
LAW MOOT COMPETITION
***
LAWS3489/5189 – INTERNATIONAL LAW MOOT
(JESSUP INTERNATIONAL LAW MOOT)
2014/2015 COMPETITION
***
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
***
APPLICATION FORM
SELECTION TIMETABLE
Information Session:
Monday 4 August, 1.10 pm, Seminar
Room
403
(Main
Administration
Building, Level 4), New Law Building
While attendance at the information
session is encouraged, it is not
required.
Applications Due:
Wednesday 1 September 2014
Interviews and Presentations:
From Monday 8 September 2014
At the interview you will be asked to
make a 10-minute presentation of your
response to a problem question in any
area of law. The question may be a
question that you have addressed in a
moot, or an assignment question that
you have responded to during your
studies.
The
purpose
of
the
presentation is for us to gauge your
capacity to express a legal argument
clearly and persuasively. There is no
need for the presentation to be fully
polished, and you should concentrate
instead on dealing with the legal issues
at hand as clearly as possible. You
should spend 2-3 minutes setting out
the question, 2-3 minutes identifying
the issues that arise from it and 4-6
minutes addressing these by reference
to the applicable legal rules and
principles.
At the discretion of the team coach and
Faculty Adviser, shortlisted applicants
may be asked to participate in a formal
practice moot based on a single issue
of public international law. Notice of the
practice moot and required materials
will be provided approximately a week
in advance.
Offers:
From Monday 15 September 2014
First Team Meeting:
22 September 2014 (date and venue to
be confirmed)
THE PHILIP C. JESSUP INTERNATIONAL LAW MOOT IN AUSTRALIA
Overview
The Jessup Moot is widely recognised as the most prestigious international mooting
competition. The Jessup Moot provides competitors with an unparalleled opportunity to
work closely in a team to represent fictional States in a hypothetical (but always topical)
case before the International Court of Justice on cutting-edge areas of international law.
Teams must prepare detailed and lengthy written submissions (9,000 word Memorials)
and then moot against other teams, from around Australia, at the National Rounds to be
held in Canberra in February 2015. The two finalist teams will then travel to Washington to
compete in the International Rounds against teams from around the world.
The Jessup Moot has a history in Australia going back to 1977, when the first
Regional Rounds were held in Sydney at which the Final was presided over by Sir Percy
Spender, a former Australian President of the International Court of Justice. Professor Ivan
Shearer, then of the University of New South Wales, was responsible for initiating the
Jessup Moot in Australia, which in its early years regularly attracted eight competing teams
from across Australia. In recent years, with the growth of Australian University Law
Schools, the number of competing teams has also expanded to include teams from all
States, the ACT and the Northern Territory. Australian teams have enjoyed considerable
success in the International Finals of the Jessup Moot held in the US, even from the early
days of the Australian competition. Four Australian teams have won the Jessup Cup, with
five others having reached the Final of the competition. At the International Finals,
Australian teams have also won Best Memorial awards and Best Oralist awards.
The Jessup Moot in Australia has long enjoyed a good relationship with the High
Court of Australia and the Australian National University. The preliminary rounds have
been held at the Australian National University for many years, while the High Court of
Australia has likewise provided the venue for the Australian Final, which is presided over
by a High Court judge. Support is also provided to the competition by government
agencies and various associations with an interest in international law, particularly the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Attorney-General's Department, the
International Law Association (Australian Branch), and the Australian New Zealand
Society of International Law (ANZSIL).
THE JESSUP MOOT EXPERIENCE
When:
August 2014– February 2015 (March or April 2015 if competing in
Washington).
Where:
Research and Writing of Memorials, Practice Moots – University of Sydney.
Australian Regional Rounds – Canberra.
International Rounds – Washington D.C.
Format:
Each team prepares two 9,000 word Memorials addressing the submissions
of the Applicant and Respondent Teams (due date early January 2015).
Each team has 4 moots in the Preliminary Rounds of the Australian Regional
Rounds (held in Canberra in February) before progressing on to
Quarterfinals, Semi-Finals and Finals (also held in Canberra).
USA Bound: The winning and runner-up Australia teams represent Australia at the
International Finals held in Washington DC in March/April and have an
opportunity to win the ‘Jessup Cup’.
Workload:
Enormous and requires a singular commitment to engagement in the
competition. Nonetheless the competition is tremendously rewarding. Past
experience confirms that the teams best able to cope with the heavy
workload are comprised of members with a strong work ethic and a genuine
interest in advocacy and public international law.
The Course: All students can enrol in the ‘LAWS3489/LAWS5189 International Law Moot’
unit and gain credit towards their LLB OR JD.
Eligibility:
The following students are eligible to apply for Jessup:


Combined Law students who will be in their penultimate or final year of
the LLB in 2015. Students must have already completed the requirements
of their first degree.
JD students who will be in their final year in 2015.
If you are not eligible to enrol in electives in 2015 you cannot be selected for
Jessup.
Students will be enrolling in Semester 1 2015, and Jessup will be included
in their Semester 1 load. As such, students will not receive their results until
July 2015; final year students will thus be unable to graduate at the May
ceremony.
Students can only enrol in one moot for credit.
Costs:
The Faculty pays for all Jessup Moot registration costs, and accommodation
for the regional rounds in Canberra. Costs for teams progressing to the US
will be negotiated with the Dean when the time arrives. The 2006-2007,
2007-2008, 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 teams were fully funded to the world
titles.
THE 2015 QUESTION
After the conclusion of each year’s competition, the International Law Students’
Association (ILSA), which administers the global competition, releases a précis of the
following year’s question (see http://www.ilsa.org/):
ILSA announced that the 2015 Compromis will present questions of treaty
interpretation and applicability in the face of changed circumstances; the propriety of
counter-measures; and procedural and substantive issues raised by the secession of
a province from one country and its annexation by another.
The Jessup problem will be released by ILSA in September.
THE WHYS AND WHATNOTS
Why do it?

The most demanding and rewarding course you could do as an undergraduate student

Intense training in mooting and oral advocacy

Most prestigious competition for law students in the world (over 500 law schools
participating)

Well recognised as a mark of excellence

Foundation for postgraduate studies and professional career

Recognised alternative to doing a summer clerkship (better, really)

Past participants have gone on to work at the UN (ICTY, ICTR, UNCC, UNHCR); Office
of International Law, Commonwealth Attorney-General’s; DFAT; London, Sydney and
New York Bar; International Committee for the Red Cross; International Commission of
Jurists etc.

Flights to and accommodation in Washington D.C. for successful team.

Lots of Faculty resources (Team Coach, Team Faculty Adviser, Library training,
research training).

Full subject credit points.

Work done can be the foundation of an individual research project, journal article or
later thesis.
What we are looking for

5 positions, with 2-3 reserves.

Academic excellence

A genuine interest in public international law

Mooting or speaking experience not necessary, but ability to express thoughts clearly is
a must

Excellent ‘team players’
Selection Process
Selections take place by way of a three-stage process:
1. Written Application: Fill in the form attached and email it as directed by the due date.
These applications will be screened and a short list of applicants to be interviewed will
be drawn up.
2. Interview and presentation: You will be asked about why you want to do the Jessup
and your ability to undertake the course throughout Semester II and Summer
2014/2015. You must be available for the interview. At the interview you will be asked
to make a 10-minute presentation of your response to a problem question in any area
of law. The question may be a moot question that you have addressed in a moot, or an
assignment question that you have responded to during your studies. The purpose of
the presentation is for us to gauge your capacity to express a legal argument clearly
and persuasively. There is no need for the presentation to be fully polished, and
you should concentrate instead on dealing with the legal issues at hand as clearly as
possible. You should spend 2-3 minutes setting out the question, 2-3 minutes
identifying the issues that arise from it and 4-6 minutes addressing these by reference
to the applicable legal rules and principles.
3. Follow-up moot: At the discretion of the team coach and Faculty Adviser, shortlisted
applicants may be asked to attend a practice moot that involves a single issue of public
international law. The moot presentations will be time-limited to approximately 5
minutes. Notice of the practice moot and the necessary materials will be sent to the
moot participants a week in advance.
A first round of offers will be made to 5 team members and 2-3 reserves.
If
necessary, a further round of offers will be made. Any withdrawals from the team will lead
to one or more of the reserves being asked to step in, at the Coach’s discretion.
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY AT THE JESSUP MOOT
1990-2014
AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL ROUNDS + INTERNATIONAL ROUNDS
1990
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
1991
WINNER (Australian Regional Rounds) + Semi-Finalist (International
Rounds)
1992
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
1993
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
1994
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
1995
WINNER (Australian Regional Rounds) + Semi-Finalist (International
Rounds)
1996
WINNER (Australian Regional Rounds) + WINNER JESSUP CUP
1997
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
1998
WINNER (Australian Regional Rounds) + International Run-Off Rounds
1999
Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds) + International Run-Off Rounds
2000
WINNER (Australian Regional Rounds) + International Run-Off Rounds
2001
Quarter-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
2002
Participant (Australian Regional Rounds)
2003
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
2004
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
2005
Quarter-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
2006
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
2007
RUNNER-UP (Australian Rounds) + WINNER JESSUP CUP
2008
WINNER (Australian Rounds) + ELIMINATION FINALS (World Rounds)
2009
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
2010
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
2011
WINNER (Australian Rounds) + WINNER JESSUP CUP
2012
Semi-Finalist (Australian Regional Rounds)
2013
WINNER (Australian Regional Rounds) + International Run-Off Rounds
2014
Quarter-Finalist (Australian Rounds)
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
PHILIP C. JESSUP INTERNATIONAL LAW MOOT COURT COMPETITION
LAWS3489/5189 – INTERNATIONAL LAW MOOT
Name
SID
Address
Telephone Number(s)
Year
Email Address
Best 6 results in your law subjects (including
International Law).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Details of any academic prizes
Calculate Your WAM: _______
Examples of 2 or 3 of the best essays/research papers you have submitted and the marks awarded
1. Subject: _____________Title: _________________________________ Weight: ______ Mark: ______
2. Subject: _____________Title: _________________________________ Weight: ______ Mark: ______
3. Subject: _____________Title: _________________________________ Weight: ______ Mark: ______
Details of any previous mooting or debating experience
Details of any previous experience working in a team environment
Why should you be chosen for the Jessup? What interests you about international law? Is there any
other information you consider relevant?
What outside commitments do you have during Semester II and over the Summer? Are you intending
to apply for a summer clerkship and what do you intend to do if you are offered one?
Please return by email to
TO:
Dr Tim Stephens (tim.stephens@sydney.edu.au) AND
Rob Pietriche (robpietriche@gmail.com)
Subject Line: Jessup Application– [INSERT NAME]
by 1 September 2014.
If you can, PDF or scan your academic transcript for emailing.