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International Roman Law Moot

 
Image of a collection of students from a Mooting competition

The International Roman Law Moot Court Competition is a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, the Universität Wien, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, the Université de Liège, the Universität Trier and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The first five Moots (2008-2012) were organised under the auspices of the Institute Mohamed Ali for the Research of the Eastern Tradition IMARET, a non-governmental organisation devoted to promoting the common heritage of Mediterranean countries, based in Kavala, in northern Greece, and now known as the MOHA Research Center. The competition is administered by the Mooting Coordinator, Dr Benjamin Spagnolo.

History

Dr Helen Scott and Dr Paschalis Paschalidis inaugurated an inter-collegiate Roman law mooting competition at the University of Oxford in November 2006, at which the celebrated judge and Romanist the Rt Hon the Lord Rodger of Earlsferry PC presided. The first annual Oxford-Cambridge Roman Law Moot Court Competition followed in June 2007 – an annual rivalry that continues to this day. Building upon these successes, Dr Scott and Dr Paschalidis established the International Roman Law Moot Court Competition the following year, in collaboration with the IMARET and with the founding participation of the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the Universität Trier and the Université de Liège. In 2009, the Moot was enlarged to include the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, the Universität Wien, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Format

The libellus (the problem) for the Moot is typically set during the reign of the Emperor Justinian the Great (AD 527–565). The Moot comprises a group stage, in which each team moots twice on behalf of the claimant(s) and twice on behalf of the defendant(s). The advanced rounds comprise two Semi-finals, a Small Final (between the runners-up in the Semi-finals) and a Grand Final. Three judges preside at moots in all rounds except the Grand Final, where a bench of five judges sits. Past judges include Professor Melchior Wathelet (First Advocate-General at, and former Judge of, the ECJ) and Dr Johannes Schnizer (Judge of the Constitutional Court of Austria).

The winning team in the Grand Final is awarded the Palma Victoriae (First Prize), while the runner-up team takes the Palma Secunda (Second Prize) and the winning team in the Small Final the Palma Tertia (Third Prize). To the best mooter goes the Palma Optimi Oratoris (Best Oralist Award), together with one or two Honourable Mentions to speakers who excel across all rounds of the competition.

Past winners

The winners of past contests were:

Fifteenth IRLM (2022) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Fourteenth IRLM (2021) University of Oxford
Thirteenth IRLM (2020) University of Cambridge
Twelfth IRLM (2019) Université de Liège
Eleventh IRLM (2018) University of Oxford
Tenth IRLM (2017) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Ninth IRLM (2016) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Eighth IRLM (2015) Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
Seventh IRLM (2014) Universität Wien
Sixth IRLM (2013) National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Fifth IRLM (2012) Universität Trier
Fourth IRLM (2011) University of Cambridge
Third IRLM (2010) National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Second IRLM (2009) Universität Trier
First IRLM (2008) University of Oxford