The Grand Finale of the Susan J. Ferrell Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition
The Susan J. Ferrell Moot Court Competition, hosted by the LL.M./ J.S.D. Program in Intercultural Human Rights of the St. Thomas University School of Law for 11 years in a row, has now come to an end. Each year the competition revolved around a simulated court proceeding, in which teams representing both sides of the argument prepared written pleadings, with respect to a fictional problem of international human rights law and policy, and presented their arguments in an oral argument before the International Court of Justice. Since 2005, students from all over this planet have come to St. Thomas to join in our Olympics of human rights: the Susan J. Ferrell Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition, during which they made enormous efforts to show their mastery of international law, both in writing and orally. This moot court competition has been key to making the new generation of international lawyers effective advocates in the field. Many of them have already moved to the top of the line in international law which is ever more relevant to legal practice in an ever more globalizing world. Human rights is a needed specialty in that field, and we commend them on their calling to make possible for all, through the law, a life of fulfillment and human dignity.
May all our competitors achieve their dreams!
The 2016 participating teams have masterfully wrapped up with splendid eloquence and grace this academic venture of 11 good years. We at St. Thomas will miss the friends and the various teams who have been loyal to our competition over all these years, and the new friends we have won this year. Below we bring you the brightest stars of an all-star Ferrell 2016 performance:
Defending Champions
City University of Hong Kong Wins Ferrell Trophy
The11th Susan J. Ferrell Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition took place on January 29-31, 2016 at St. Thomas Law School. In a close final round between two outstanding teams, decided by one point, the City University of Hong Kong took the Ferrell Trophy over Valparaiso Law School. FIU College of Law ended up third.
Judges of Final Round
The Final Round was judged by His Excellency The Honorable Fausto Pocar (former President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia), The Honorable Patrick A. White (United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida), and Florencia Cornu Laport (LL.M. candidate, lawyer from Uruguay).
Best Oralists
Howard University law student Imani Oakley and City University law student Cheung Lai Tung took top honors as best oralists.
Best Memorials
The best memorial was written by the City University of Hong Kong. Two teams, Hidayatullah National Law University, India, and SUNY Buffalo School of Law shared second place.
2016 Susan J. Ferrell Competition: January 29, 2016 – January 31, 2016
