The University of Oxford regained its position as the most successful competing university over time by defeating the Université de Liège in the Eighteenth International Roman Law Moot Court Competition Grand Final, held in the Library of All Souls College, Oxford on Friday 11 April 2025. Runners-up now for two years in a row, the Liège team of Anaïs Baudry, Quentin Leboutte, Eloïse Longhi and Marjorie Moerman might be forgiven for wondering whether there was not a home-ground psychological advantage for the Oxford team, which consisted of Victor Bordereau, Raphael Monteiro, Lucia Roussel-Milner Roman and Kabir Suri.
The Moot was honoured to welcome as the presiding judge at the Grand Final the Rt Hon. Lord Sales PC, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Joining Lord Sales were colleagues from four other cities: Professor Dr Philipp Scheibelreiter (Vienna), Mr Marcel Liebsch (Tübingen), Ass. jur. Maria Lux (Trier) and Mr Michele Mastroberti (Naples).
Winning the Small Final and so placing third in this year’s IRLM was the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, who overtook Oxford in the historical rankings only last year. Fourth place went to the University of Cambridge, the third-placed team across time.
The Palma Optimi Oratoris or Best Oralist Prize was awarded to George Gkropas (Athens), with Honourable Mentions to Kabir Suri (Oxford) and Thomas Loke Zhih Hahn (Cambridge).
The hosts, judges and mooters gratefully acknowledge the support of the University of Oxford Faculty of Law, Christ Church, All Souls College, St Catherine’s College and St Hugh’s College.