How to Enroll for the UvA Willem C. Vis Moot Court Team 2023-2024?
During the academic year 2023-2024, the University of Amsterdam will participate (subject to the travel restrictions) in the Willem C. Vis Moot Court in Vienna and the Willem C. Vis Moot Court East in Hong Kong. If you are interested in representing the UvA in the Vis Moot, please follow the following steps:
- Enroll at the UvA for the academic year 2023-2024
Only the third year bachelor and masters students of the UvA can participate in the team. If you are a student of another Dutch university, but do wish to participate, you can also enroll with the sole purpose of participating in the Vis Moot. Exchange students and part time students are also eligible for participation.
2. Send in your written application
The first step of the application process is sending your written submissions to info@willemcvismoot.nl. You are required to send a letter of motivation, stating why you wish to participate in the Vis Moot. Also, we would like to receive your resume and your lists of grades. The deadline for application is 17 September 2023. All submissions must be in English. On 14 September 2023, at 17:00 there will be informational drinks held at the premises of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek where you will be able to learn more about the moot court and ask questions. Please register for the informational drinks before 13 September 2023 by sending an email to info@willemcvismoot.nl.
- Interview
You will then hear whether you will be invited for an interview. Interviews with the applicants will be held directly thereafter in the last two weeks of September. We will let you know whether you made the team on 1 October 2023. You will receive an e-mail with information on the Moot, arbitration, the CISG and Unidroit, which we will discuss during the Kick-off meeting on 4 October 2023. Please consider your availability for these dates in advance.
Requirements for participation
The main requirement for participation is that you are a law student, enthusiastic for international commercial arbitration. However, a few additional requirements do apply to participation:
- Availability
Participation in the Willem C. Vis Moot runs from October 2023 (when the Moot problem is distributed) through mid-April 2024 (when the finals in Vienna take place). During this period, participants will be expected to devote time to the preparation of their written memoranda and training their skills for the (virtual) oral pleadings of Vienna and the (virtual) oral pleadings of Hong Kong. Past participants have shown that participation in the Willem C. Vis Moot Court can be combined with a regular study programme. Meetings will be held in Amsterdam, at the office of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.
- Registration at the University of Amsterdam
Only students of the UvA can participate in the team. Participation is open to both third year bachelor students as for master students. If you are a student of another Dutch university but do wish to take part, you can also enroll at the UvA with the sole purpose of participating in the Vis Moot. Also exchange students and part time students are eligible for participation. Participation in the Vis Moot is awarded with 6EC for master students. If the Willem C. Vis Moot Court course (6 EC) is not part of the (optional) curriculum of your study programme, we cannot guarantee that EC’s for participation will be granted. This will have to be assessed with the UvA on a case by case basis.
- No previous coursework required
No specific entry requirements (such as courses that participants need to have completed) are applicable to participation in the Vis Moot. However, enrollment in the course International Commercial Arbitration, which takes place in the second block of the first semester, is mandatory.