Moot courts are simulated court or arbitration proceedings in which teams of students from different universities compete against each other by legally representing one party to the dispute.

In your final year of study as a student of business law or applied law, you can apply to participate in an international moot court. Competing with other teams at an international level offers practical insight and legal experience that will be useful in your future career.

The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (Vis Moot) has been held annually in Vienna since 1994 and is the largest arbitration moot competition in the world. Vis Moot aims to promote the study of international commercial arbitration and the use of arbitration for resolving business disputes. The moot problem is always based on an international sales transaction governed by the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). It also involves procedural issues of arbitration, such as jurisdiction and the powers of an arbitral tribunal.

The Vis Moot consists of two phases. The written phase includes initial statements of claim and defense and a response to a memorandum received from an opposing team. The oral pleadings take place in Vienna. The Vis Moot offers you a practical insight into legal work and gives you the opportunity to engage with lawyers and students from all over the world.

Follow the current ZHAW Vis Moot Team on LinkedIn and Instagram.

The Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition (HPMCC) is a unique opportunity for students to gain practical experience in pleading before the European Court of Human Rights.

The teams are confronted with a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In the first part of the competition, they submit two written submissions – one for the applicant and one for the respondent. The second part consists of oral pleadings.

The best 18 teams compete in the final oral round. The final takes place each year in Strasbourg, with pleadings at the Palais de l’Europe and the European Court of Human Rights. The Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition gives you a profound insight into the functioning of the ECHR and human rights in Europe and is a unique opportunity to engage with other participants and judges.

Participation in a moot starts in summer before your last year of study. Here you find a general overview of the time frame: