Five students from the Faculty of Law represented Bilkent University in the global rounds of the 2021 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, held during March and April. The first team from Bilkent to compete in the event, their performance won the Faculty of Law a a “Best New Law School” honorable mention.
Administered by the International Law Students Association, the Jessup is the world’s largest and oldest international moot court competition for law students, organized annually since 1960 and hosting more than 600 law schools from more than 100 countries and jurisdictions each year. It was held virtually this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students taking part in the competition prepare written and oral submissions in defense of two states, which are parties to a fictional dispute before the International Court of Justice. Following successful completion of the written stage, teams compete against each other in the oral stage of the preliminary rounds, with the best teams going on to the advanced rounds.
This year’s dispute concerned a global pandemic, “J-VID-18,” and the obligations and responses of a state with respect to the outbreak.
Coached by Asst. Prof. Danai Angeli and Asst. Prof. Ayşe Dicle Ergin, the Bilkent team was composed of senior students Ece Deniz Günel, Zeynep Ceren Şen, Eylül Kabakcı, Sıla Öz and Aysu Gül Yılmaz, as well as junior student Yüksel Söğüt Atilla, who assisted the team throughout the process as a substitute member.
The Bilkent students prepared two written memorials and during the oral rounds competed in 10 matches against teams from various regions of the globe, before panels of judges from all over the world. The only team from Turkey selected to compete in the advanced rounds, their overall performance won Bilkent a “Best New Law School” honorable mention.