The China-EU School of Law (CESL) has a new Vis Moot Team for 2017-2018. Members Chen Jing, LI Xiaojing, Sun Leimeng, Wang Xiaotong, Yang Sijie, Yang Weiming, Yue Peng and Zheng Yan are ready for the next Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. This annual competition helps students develop their analytical and oral-advocacy skills, while they represent CESL. Vis is a written and oral competition based on an international arbitration case. Besides the hard work involved improving skills in English, it also offers students an opportunity to network and make friends from around the world. There are two venues, one in Vienna and one in Hong Kong. Our team will at least attend the one in Hong Kong in spring 2018. In 2017, there were over 100 teams in the Hong Kong competition and over 300 in the Vienna competition.

As one of the most prestigious international competition for law students, it is also challenging. Over a period of six months, the team members work intensively to prove their research abilities, excellent argumentation and quick learning skills, as well as their ability to work in a team. Subsequently, they will take the role of lawyers and hold 15-minute pleas in English in front of three international arbitrators.

The China-EU School of Law’steams keep scoring high at the Willem C. Vis East International Commercial Arbitration Moot. In its first year of participation, in 2014, CESL ranked 3rd out of 99 teams from all around the globe and its team members ranked as the first and best individualists in whole competition. In 2014, 2016 and 2017, the team was awarded the Honorable Mentions for the Best Memoranda. Moreover, during the Vis East Moot and its pre-moots several CESL students were honored as best oralists.

Article by Yang Sijie (CESL Double Master’s student from the 2016 intake)