HOW INTERNATIONAL MOOTING COMPETITIONS PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS


By Edward Chin


International mooting competitions have many benefits, including preparing students for the bar or in the field of international law.


During law school, we only learn about the theories of law, but we rarely get the opportunity to apply it, unless you are a member of an international organisation such as the International Bar Association (IBA). In an international mooting competition, not only do we have an opportunity to apply the law, but we get to learn many lessons that are not taught in school. One of the most important lessons is how to build relationships, especially within the international context.


As a frequent participant in mooting competitions, and as a representative of the IBA at the National Rounds at the Annual Jessup Competition, I was able to observe first-hand the significance of relationship building and how it is applicable within the international context. In this discussion, we will look at how international mooting


competitions teach students to build relationships.


Mooting: A tool for


relationship building In international mooting competitions, students get the rare opportunity to build international relationships and create an invaluable global network of friends and colleagues. However, many students do not fully exploit this excellent opportunity, as they are sometimes too focused on winning the competition. Sometimes, it is not just about winning the argument or the competition; rather, it is about the experience that you can gain—and in most cases, this is an invaluable asset that many students can take with them after the competition is over. Of course, the building of international relationships does not necessary


require students to engage actively in a personal one-on-one conversation with everyone there. Rather, a student’s team spirit and professionalism throughout the competition demonstrate to the judges and to the other competitors their willingness to further engage in building these strong relationships.


Misconceptions of Mooting


Many spectators view mooting as simply getting in front of a judge and making the best possible argument in order to win the case. Of course, it is more than that. As many mooters know, a 20 minute argument takes countless hours of legal research and preparation. This is, however, the easy part. When you have done the necessary research, applied it to the facts of your case and formed your argument, you can


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