International Commercial Arbitration Moot (Vienna)

The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna is considered one of the most prestigious moot court competitions in the world. The goal of the Moot is to foster the study of international commercial law and arbitration for resolution of international business disputes through its application to a concrete problem of a client and to train law students in methods of alternative dispute resolution.

This competition - which has been referred to as the olympics of international trade law - draws participation from top law schools from all over the world. In 2011/2012 teams from more than 250 Law Schools took part in the competition (among the others: Columbia University, US; Duke University, US; Harvard University, US; New York University, US; Yale Law School, US; University of New South Wales, Australia; London School of Economics, UK, Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France.
Each October a case named 'The Problem' is published. This document presents legal questions both with regard to procedural matters and substantive sales law. Students have to first write a memorandum for the claimant (usually by December). Memoranda for claimant are then distributed among the participating teams which then have to write a memorandum for the respondent (usually by January) against the memorandum for claimant they have received from another team. The proceedings are always conducted under the rules of an arbitral institution  which is a different one each year. The merits of the dispute are always subject to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). In April, all the participating teams meet in Vienna where the oral arguments are held.

Only students enrolled in the 4th year of the Combined Bachelor and Master of Science program in Law (CLMG) can apply for the MOOT. Selection is based on an evaluation of merit, taking into consideration each applicant's academic and personal curriculum, and on interviews in English.

Click here below to find additional information on how to apply to the Moot 2013: