SCHOOL OF LAW

The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition is considered an institution among moot court competitions around the world. Hailed as the Olympic Games of moot court competitions, it takes place annually in Vienna and attracts hundreds of universities from around the world. Beginning with only a small number of teams in 1994, it currently counts more than 350 participating teams from both civil and common law jurisdictions, a number, which grows with every passing year.

The goal of the moot is to bring together students with a specific interest in international commercial arbitration. To this end, each year the moot features arbitration rules from different institutions, as well as the participation of eminent practitioners and academics, who gather in Vienna to act as arbitrators. The subject matter of the disputes revolve uniquely around the international sale of goods and, more specifically, the Vienna Convention on the International Sale of Goods (CISG). The duality of the focus of the competition allows the participants to experience every spectrum of arbitration, both from a procedural and substantive standpoint. Moreover, each team is afforded the opportunity to present its legal arguments both in written form and during the oral rounds that take place in Vienna each year. It is noteworthy that, unlike other competitions, the Willem C. Vis Moot challenges teams even further, by requiring the Respondent to prepare its written arguments in answer to another team’s Claimant’s memorandum. In Vienna, each team is called upon to present their legal arguments orally, in proceedings that resemble closely real-life arbitration.

As a result, the competition requires a high threshold of legal expertise for the participating teams, since it calls upon them to exercise their knowledge on private international law, commercial law, civil law, international civil procedure and, of course, arbitration. At the same time, apart from students, the Willem C. Vis Moot Court Competition is attended by thousands of arbitrators, as well as academics and practitioners interested in the field of arbitration. Apart from the competition itself, many arbitral institutions as well as arbitration law-firms seize the opportunity to organize seminars, meet-ups and other events, in order to promote awareness of current and future issues central in the field of commercial arbitration. The Willem C. Vis Moot has evolved over the years into a staple of the international arbitration community, both from a professional and academic perspective.

Competition Awards

The Willem C. Vis Moot makes a case for plurality in academic distinction, awarding a number of prizes both for the written memoranda and for the oral presentation of the teams, as well as for individual achievements.  

1. Pieter Sanders Award, which is given for the Best Memorandum on behalf of the Claimant.
2. Werner Melis Award, which is given for the s given for the Best Written Memorandum for Respondent.
3. Martin Domke Award, which is is awarded to the Best Individual Oralist during the general rounds
4. Frédéric Eisemann Award, which is given to the best prevailing team in the oral rounds.

Awarded Distinctions (Overall) – National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Law

Best Oralist Awards – National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Law

Best Written Memoranda Award - National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Law 

 The preparation of the team representing the University of Athens takes place between August and March/April of each academic year. The call for student participation takes place in late May and the selection process lasts two to three weeks, depending on participation. The team operates under the academic supervision of Prof. Charalampos Pampoukis, Prof. Konstantinos Polyzogopoulos and Lecturer Dr. Anastasios Gourgourinis, assisted by Mrs Evgenia Stavropoulou and Mr Faidon Varesis, acting as coaches. Each year, the team of the University of Athens is assisted during the months of preparation by the generous support of various arbitration law firms and arbitration practitioners.

The rigorous training provided to the team members in preparation of the moot also contains participation in various pre-moots. The purpose of the training is to provide the students with experience to face the intellectually strenuous arbitration experience. The preparation for the moot centers around team-work and continuous effort, both of which are central to the ultimate success of the undertaking, especially given the number of participants involved. The students delve into the fields of private international law, comparative law, international civil and international civil procedure law, international transactions, and international commercial law. It is, therefore, a true academic experience, as well as a gateway into the world of professional arbitration, a chance to follow a scholarly path and to set a basis for a professional career.