UoN emerged top in africa in international law moot court competition

Washington, USA: The Univeristy of Nairobi (UoN) topped Africa and emerged  number 10 out of 116  in the world in the just concluded Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition held on 5-12 April 2015 in Washington, D.C. In addition,  during the competition, UoN’s 4th year student, Eva Kimani, was ranked 69th, thereby featuring in the top 100 oralists.

The 116 teams participating in the completion were drawn from 95 countries. UoN team consisted of Smith Otieno (4th Year), Eva Kimani (4th Year), Cecilia Isohi (2nd Year) and Leon Ndekei (2nd Year). Mr. Samson Alosa and Mrs. Joy Asiema  were  the  team coaches.

In the Preliminary rounds the University of Nairobi went  against Belarus (International University MITSO), Brazil (Faculdade Baiana de Direito e Gestao ), Vietnam(Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam) and Hong Kong China (University of Hong Kong). In all the four matched the University emerged top by winning all its matches and qualified for the advance knock out  Rounds of 32.

The University of Nairobi team was among the 32 teams proceeding to the Rounds of 32  and the only team from Africa to do so. In this , the University had a match, against Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile from Chile where it lost the round and were eliminated against the eventual runners up.

Chile made it all the way to the final of the competition and was runners-up to Australia (University of Sydney). The final itself was judged by Sir Kenneth Keith a former judge of the International Court of Justice, Joan Donoghue a judge of the International Court of Justice and Harold Koh, Sterling Professor of International Law, Yale Law School

Jessup is the world's largest moot court competition, with participants from over 550 law schools in more than 80 countries. 2015 was  the 56th year of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The Competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. One team is allowed to participate from every eligible school. Teams prepare oral and written pleadings arguing both the applicant and respondent positions of the case.

Thousands of law students from around the world will work all year long on the season's Jessup Problem that will focus on the procedural and substantive issues arising from the secession of one province of a nation and its annexation into another.

Four teams participated in the Kenya preliminary selection rounds held in February. The teams were Kabarak University, Strathmore University, Kenya School of Law and University of Nairobi. The top two teams Kabarak University and The University of Nairobi Team preceded to the final held at the same venue on 21st of February. In the final rounds The University of Nairobi Team emerged victorious becoming the National Jessup champions in Kenya 2015 and thus qualified for the International Law rounds.