Moots Spotlight: January to April 2020

One of the valuable educational experiences an NUS Law student can have is to represent the university in mooting competitions. Here some of our students’ achievements in competitions from January to April 2020.

Regional Champions at Annual Stetson Moot

(Front row, L-R) Mark Tang ’22, Zhang Wen ’21, Caryn Mark ’20 and Fok Theng Fong ’21.
(Back row, L-R) Glenn Ang ’22, Professor Simon Chesterman (Dean, NUS Law), Associate Professor Burton Ong ’99 and Stanley Woo ’22.

NUS Law defended its title as Regional Champions in the 24th Annual Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition. Hosted by the University of Philippines, College of Law in Quezon City, the Southeast Asian Regional Rounds consisted of four preliminary rounds, followed by a series of knock-out rounds for the top eight teams. Two NUS Law teams qualified for the semi-finals after facing stiff competition from the University of Cebu and the University of San Carlos in the quarter-finals.

The NUS Law team, comprising Caryn Mark ’20, Fok Theng Fong ’21 and Stanley Woo ’22, eventually faced the University of Philippines in the Championship Round, and emerged as Regional Champions and won the prize for Second Best Memorial.

The other team comprising Zhang Wen ’21, Glenn Ang ’22 and Mark Tang ’22 emerged as Semi-finalists and clinched the prize for Best Memorial.

Fok Theng Fong ’21 was also awarded individual prizes for Best Oralist in the Championship Round and 5th Best Oralist of the Regional Round.

This year’s moot problem involved the reintroduction of grey bears (a fictitious endangered species) near a shared border between neighbouring countries. The teams were therefore required to master various aspects of international environmental law including the law on invasive alien species, transboundary harm and the conservation of endangered migratory species.

Both teams extended their gratitude to Associate Professor Burton Ong ’99 for his unwavering dedication and guidance, Associate Professor Lim Lei Theng ’92 for the opportunity to participate in the competition and her guidance, and Associate Professor Eleanor Wong ’85 (Vice Dean (Student Life & Global Relations)) for her insight and support of the teams. They would also like to thank Joel Sherard ’20, Isabella Tan ’21 and Clara Low ’22 for their assistance during the lead-up to the competition. Lastly, the teams would like to thank the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and the NUS Law Class of 1979 for their support.

NUS Law wins Lex Infinitum 2020


(L-R): Victoria Tay ’20, Arjit Pandey ’22, Darren Chen ’22, Professor Simon Chesterman (Dean, NUS Law), Nikhil Angappan ’21 and Marcus Lim ’12

NUS Law clinched top awards at the 5th VMSCL International Dispute Resolution Competition (Lex Infinitum V) held in Goa, India, from 8 to 11 January 2020.

After 7 intense rounds of negotiation against 23 other international teams, Arjit Pandey ’22 and Darren Chen ’22 emerged as Champions in the Negotiating Team category while Nikhil Angappan ’21 emerged as Champion in the Mediator category. Nikhil was also presented the Dr. M. R. K Prasad Lex Infinitum Incentive Award as the Best Mediator from an International Team.

The team’s preparation came under the CDR Club’s Competition Division and the supervision of Samuel Teo ’21, and advised by Professor Joel Lee and Marcus Lim ’12.

The team would like to highlight the invaluable efforts of coach Victoria Tay ’20, the ICC Paris 2020 team, and seniors Joseph Lim ’19, Mark Lim ’19, Ahvineesh Nanoo ’20, Abigail Wong ‘20, Violet Huang ’20, Lee Shao Xun ’21, Samuel Teo ‘21, and Jerald Tan ’22 for their tireless guidance, advice, and support.

Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (National Round)


(L-R) Tan Fong Han ’20, Lydia Lee ’20, Professor Simon Chesterman, Natalee Ho ’20, Gwendolyn Oh ’21 and Violet Huang ’20

Congratulations to Natalee Ho ‘20, Violet Huang ‘20, Gwendolyn Oh ‘21, Lydia Lee ‘20, and Tan Fong Han ‘20 for emerging Champions of the 2020 Singapore National Round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.

Once again, NUS swept all of the prizes, including Best Memorial of the National Round. Natalee Ho ‘20 also received the Best Oralist award.

The International Rounds, which was originally scheduled in April, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Jessup Cup will not be awarded this year, however, Memorial Prizes will be awarded through a virtual ceremony. View the 2020 International Rounds Virtual Awards Ceremony from: https://www.ilsa.org/2020/04/25/2020-international-rounds-virtual-awards-ceremony/.

The team thanked coaches Victor Leong ’16, Joshua Hiew ’17 and David Isidore Tan ’16, and Professor Lim Lei Theng ’92, for their invaluable support and guidance. The team would also like to thank the NUS Law deanery, the Jessup alumni, and everyone who helped and gave them guidance one way or another.

2020 International Commercial Arbitration Moot


(L-R) Mr Alvin Yeo SC, Darryl Ong ’22, Ernest Low ’22, Ms Loretta Malintoppi, Justice Anselmo Reyes, Nicole Seah ’22, Ashleigh Gan ’22, Carissa Low (SMU) and Justice Kannan Ramesh

The Finals of the Wong Partnership International Commercial Arbitration Moot 2020 was held on 3 March 2020.

Nicole Seah ’22 and Carissa Low (SMU) appeared for the Claimants while Darryl Ong ’22 and Ernest Low ’22 appeared for the Respondents. The judges for the moot were Justice Kannan Ramesh ’90, Justice Anselmo Reyes and Ms Loretta Malintoppi. The finals were closely fought and the judges were particularly impressed with the outstanding show of advocacy from the Year 1 and Year 2 finalists. After careful deliberation the Judges announced the results.

Results:
Champion: Ernest Low ’22
First Runner-Up: Darryl Ong ’22
Second Runners-Up: Nicole Seah ’22 and Carissa Low (SMU)
Best Memo: Ashleigh Gan ’22

All four were awarded internships at Wong Partnership and a cash prize.

3rd INTA Asia-Pacific Moot Court Competition


(L-R) Bodi Siddartha ’22, Nah Sze Perng ’23, Thomas Lee ’21, Nadine Quah ’21, Stella Teng ‘22, Vidya Singanathan ‘22, Ernest Low ‘22, Alex Chia ‘22

Congratulations to Bodi Siddartha ’22, Nadine Quah ’21, Nah Sze Perng ’23, and Thomas Lee ’21 for clinching the First Place Brief at the 3rd INTA Asia-Pacific Moot Court Competition.

Congratulations as well to Stella Teng ’22, Ernest Low ’22, Vidya Singanathan ’22, and Alex Chia ’22 for winning the prize for Second Place Brief.

This year, due to the COVID-19 situation, the oral rounds were cancelled and the competition was judged solely based on the submitted briefs. Nonetheless, NUS Law emerged victorious amidst formidable competition.

The champion team extended their gratitude to Rachel Chan ’21, Michelle Chua ’21, Sean Sin Siong ’22 and Tan Shao Wei ’22 for their assistance during the submission of briefs.

The second-placed team thanked Rachel Chan ’21, Michelle Chua ’21, Sean Sin Siong ’22, Tan Shao Wei ’22, Zhang Weihao ’22 and Shilpa Krishnan ’22 for their assistance.

Both teams extended their heartfelt gratitude to Associate Professor Lim Lei Theng ’92 for the opportunity to participate in the competition.

NUS Law won the 34th Jean-Pictet Humanitarian Law Competition 2020


(L-R) Yomna Mohamed Abdelaziz Elewa ‘20, Christine Saw Hui Ying ‘20, Li Xingyi ‘20

The Jean-Pictet Competition is an unique international humanitarian law (IHL) competition where students role play as stakeholders involved in the use and implementation of IHL. Its key objective is to take the law out of the books and for students to learn, compete and meet. For students wishing to work in the field of IHL, international relations, international criminal law, or refugee law, having participated in the competition is a major asset in their curriculum vitae, as demonstrated by the professional profile of many former participants.

In what may well be the last (non-virtual) international competition of this academic year, the 34th edition of the competition was held in Denpasar, Bali, from February to March 2020. NUS Law students, Christine Saw Hui Ying ’20, Li Xingyi ’20 and Yomna Mohamed Abdelaziz Elewa ’20 brought home the champion trophy to NUS for the second time. NUS first won in 2015 and all three 2015 team members (Lee Ji En ’17, Huang Peide ’16 and Zulhafni Zulkeflee ’15) were part of the coaching team this year (together with fellow Jean-Pictet alumni, Goh Keng Huang ’15 and Cai Xiao Han ’18).

NUS Law was awarded first place in the virtual National Round of the International Negotiation Competition 2020



Congratulations to the NUS Law team for being awarded first place in the virtual National Round of the International Negotiation Competition (INC) 2020, between NUS Law and SMU Law. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new challenge for moot competitions with cancellations and the introduction of virtual moots; however, despite these challenges, NUS Law students have done well! Isabella Tan ’21 and Nikhil Angappan ’21 represented NUS Law in this virtual National Round of INC.

The INC is the oldest and most renowned competition focusing on international legal negotiation for law students from all over the world. The NUS Law team would have been headed to US for the INC 2020 Competition in July, but in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, INC 2020 will be postponed to 2021.

The team would like to express their sincere appreciation to their coach, Professor Joel Lee, for his guidance and support throughout the competition; as well as Marcus Lim ’12, Executive Director of Singapore International Mediation Institute, and the INC alumni Chia Lyn Lynn ’02, Lin Wenrong ’08, Leanne Cheng ’19, Kimberley Pah ’19, Levin Lin ’20, Tan Su ’20 and Natasha Tan ’20.

NUS Law leads in the virtual APAC Friendly of the International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition 2020



The International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition (ICCMCC) brings together students of diverse backgrounds and cultures to challenge their skills as future international lawyers. The international oral rounds of the 2020 ICCMCC, which were to have been held at The Hague, Netherlands in June, were unfortunately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A virtual Asia Pacific Friendly was organised instead. Huang Wan Ting ’20, Choo Qian Ke ’21, Yvette Tay ’20 and Soo Guo Sheng ’20 represented NUS Law and competed in rounds against teams from SMU and universities in India and Australia. The NUS Law team placed first for Best Government Team, Best Prosecution Team and Team with the Highest Average Scores. Huang Wanting ’20 and Choo Qian Ke ’21 were named the Best Oralists.

The team would like to express their sincere appreciation to their coaches, Sumedha Madhusudhanan ’18 and Terence De Silva ’18, for their guidance.