Scottish Arbitration Centre sponsors Edinburgh Vis Pre-Moot

Dr Simone Lamont-Black, founder of theEdinburgh Vis Moot Project and lecturer in international trade law at the University of Edinburgh, has welcomed the continued support and sponsorship from the Scottish Arbitration Centre for the law school’s Vis Pre-Moot, to be held on 20 and 21 February 2016.

The competition was arranged in advance of the Willem Vis Moot, an annual international commercial arbitration moot which takes place in Vienna in March. Universities from all over the world compete at the Vienna event.

The Vis Pre-Moot was created by Edinburgh Law School to give students an opportunity to hone their skills prior to the finals for the Willem Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna and its sister moot in Hong Kong.

At this, the 5th annual Pre-Moot, student teams from universities in ten different countries will be asked to plead against one another.

The competition allows international student teams and arbitration practitioners to come together for training and mutual inspiration. In order to give them a professional audience and realistic feedback the competition will be supported by professionals who will act as moot arbitrators, including Hew Dundas,honorary vice president of the Scottish Arbitration Centre and Lindy Patterson QC, a member of the centre’s arbitral appointments committee.

Dr Lamont-Black said: “The Edinburgh Pre-Moot is an important step for our students in their preparation for their pleadings at the moot venue in Vienna. The event annually brings an international community of students and arbitrators to Edinburgh.

“It has gone from strength to strength with the 5th Pre-Moot, our largest to date, welcoming teams from universities from France, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Japan, England and Scotland.

“We are extremely grateful for the strong support from the local and international arbitration community and judiciary and our sponsors without whom this event would not be possible. Our gratitude goes in particular to the Scottish Arbitration Centre for its continued and generous support of our Edinburgh Pre-Moot since its inception.”

Andrew Mackenzie, chief executive of the Scottish Arbitration Centre, said: “We are delighted to be able to continue our support and sponsorship of the practice competition in advance of the Willem Vis Moot in Vienna.

“We want to work with all universities in Scotland to promote domestic and international arbitration, and hope that more law schools here will consider taking part in arbitration moots in the future.”