The Harvard Law WTO International Trade Moot Court Team participates in the annual ELSA Moot Court Competition on WTO Law, along with participants from law schools around the world. The competition is a simulation of a World Trade Organization panel dispute. The team prepares oral and written arguments on both complainant and respondent positions on a series of international trade issues. The competition consists of a North America round in March and an International Round in May, which will take place this year in Geneva at the World Trade Organization Secretariat.
Although the ELSA Moot Court Competition is in its 11th year, 2011 is the second year that Harvard Law School will be fielding a team. Last year the team consisted of Danielle Bart (JD ’13), Ashley Chung (JD ’12), Michael Jacobson (JD ’13), and Christopher Yap (JD ’12).
This year, the team consisted of Al-Amyn Sumar (JD ’13), Colette van der Ven (JD/MPP ’14) and Derrick Sutter (JD ’14). This year the team was coached by Michael Jacobson (JD ’13). The team is advised by Professor Mark Wu.
This year’s case involves issues surrounding the global financial crisis, including bank bailouts, currency manipulation, dual currency regimes, and the relationship between the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund.
Last year the team won the North America Regional Round, advancing to the Final Round in Montpelier France. Michael Jacobson and Danielle Bart won Best Orator awards for the Preliminary Rounds and Christopher Yap won Best Orator for the Semifinal and Final Rounds in the North America Round. In addition, the team won the award for Best Written Submissions and Best Claimant’s Brief in the Americas Region. In the Final Round in Montpelier, France, the team tied for 3rd place in the world. Michael Jacobson won Best Oralist in the preliminary rounds and Danielle Bart won Best Orator in the Semifinal Round.
This year, the team repeated as winner of the North America Round, which took place is San Jose, Costa Rica. The team won best Respondent brief, and Al-Amyn Sumar won Best Oralist in the Preliminary Round, the Semi-final Round, and the Final Round.
For more information about the competition, visit http://www.elsamootcourt.org/