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A team of law students from The University of Western Australia has won the Australian National Rounds of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.

After defeating Bond University in a semi-final, UWA beat the Australian National University in a close grand final moot, held in Court 1 of the High Court in Canberra and presided over by Justice William Gummow of the High Court.  UWA's team will now represent Australia in the International Rounds in Washington DC later this year.

The team is made up of Andrew Hanna of Craigie, Nicholas Monks of Scarborough, Luke Villiers of Nedlands and Jessie Smith and Alice Drury, both of City Beach.  The coaching panel comprises Jeremy Sher (coach), Ben Gauntlett (Faculty advisor), Amy Preston-Samson and Jackie McArthur (assistant advisors).

Jessup is regarded worldwide as the most prestigious mooting competition for law students.  Students prepare oral and written submissions addressing legal issues arising from a set of facts concerning public or private international law matters.

The University of Western Australia has competed in Jessup since the early 1980s, winning the international Jessup Cup in 2003 and named international runner-up in 1995 and 2002.  In early 2009, UWA was the Australian runner-up and ranked second in the world in the individual category.

Many academic and administrative staff from the UWA Law School and Libraries help prepare the UWA Jessup Moot team for the competition, as well as senior members of the WA legal profession.

The final preparation for competition in Canberra was held in the Supreme Court before UWA graduates Chief Justice Wayne Martin, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Hon Justice Carmel McLure and the Hon Christopher Steytler QC, Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia and a Winthrop Professor of Law at UWA.

Media references

Jeremy Sher (UWA team coach)  (+61 4) 12 413 215
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716