Meet the team from Singapore Management University, runners-up at Vis Vienna

In an email interview with Bar and Bench Online, a team of SMU students (comprising Kim Shi Yin, Ni Qian, Sean Sim, Jeremy Tan, Tiffany Tseng, Beatrice Wee, Wong Chian Lim and Wong Yan Yee) who came in second place at the 2016 edition of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot held late last month shared their experience at the competition. In terms of the preparation phase, they had divided the preparation into the research and writing phase and the oral rehearsal phase, adding that the problem this year was focused on more niche areas of arbitration, such as comparing damages and costs. They also noted that mooting greatly sharpens fundamental lawyering skills such as analysis, research, writing, and oral advocacy. It is about making someone an effective communicator to a wide array of people. And in international moots, it is about being exposed to other cultures and ways of thinking, which is important in a globalised economy.