It may have been coincidence that two of the world’s largest moot competitions ran its finals in the same weekend, but it was definitely no coincidence that both teams came up tops in both!
Shortly after Singapore Management University (SMU) mooters took to the podium at the 66th Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington D.C., another SMU team clinched victory on the other side of the globe, in Hong Kong—winning the 22nd Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot on Sunday, 6 April, after nine rounds of intense competition.
The Vis (East) team from the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law (YPHSL) comprised Samantha Loh (JD, final year); Aishwarya Salkade (JD, Year 2); Jonathan Teo (LLB, Year 3); Adele Ling (LLB, Year 3); and Evangeline Han (LLB, Year 3). The victory marks SMU’s third championship title at Vis (East) since debuting in the competition in 2010, having previously won in 2022 and 2015. The University also achieved podium finishes in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
This stellar performance was the result of hundreds of hours of rigorous preparation, underpinned by unwavering support from faculty, peers, and alumni—all of whom generously contributed their time, insights, and mentorship. The team was coached by Mr Suryanarayanan Jayakumar (LLB, Class of 2020) from WongPartnership and Mr Tan Jun Hong (LLB, Class of 2016) from Duxton Hill Chambers.
The Vis (East) Moot is the sister competition to the prestigious Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna. As international commercial transactions and cross-border disputes continue to rise across Asia, Vis (East) offers law students, academics, and practitioners exposure to global arbitration and international trade law—through an Asian lens.
This year's moot problem focused on procedural issues that arise from the non-compliance of multi-tiered dispute resolution clauses, evidentiary issues concerning privilege and improper obtainment and whether the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) can apply to govern turnkey construction contracts. The case intertwines arbitration procedure, evidentiality integrity and the interpretation of the CISG against an international arbitration setting.
In the finals, SMU represented the Claimant, while National Law University Delhi argued for the Respondent. After a compelling showdown, SMU was declared the champion. The team also achieved several accolades:
- SMU won the Eric E Bernsten Award for the School prevailing in the Oral Arguments
- For written memorial, SMU received Honourable Mentions for both Claimant and Respondent
- Jonathan Teo was awarded Honourable Mention for Best Oral Advocate
On the team’s outstanding achievement, team leader Samantha Loh shared, “We extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation to our coaches, alumni, and faculty members whose tireless guidance, unwavering support, and invaluable expertise have been instrumental in shaping our journey. The strength of the mooting community, the time and the multiple conversations invested in practice sessions and feedback have not only helped us hone our skills but also instilled in us a profound appreciation for the intricacies of international arbitration."
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