Applications open for 5th International Commercial Mediation Competition
Mediation News / 23 September 2009
Paris, 15 September 2009 - ICC has opened the online application process for another round of its International Commercial Mediation Competition. The renowned moot competition will take place at ICC headquarters from 6 to 10 February 2010.
Now in its 5th year, the competition is open to law schools from all over the world. Over 85 legal experts with a diverse range of expertise will participate as volunteer mediators and judges.
With a view towards training lawyers to better meet the dispute resolution needs of today's cross-cultural market, the competition gives students an opportunity to test their problem-solving skills in a moot international mediation.
Combining the spirit of competition with best practice sharing, learning and networking, the event provides a unique opportunity to explore cultural differences in international commercial mediation while enjoying numerous organised social activities.
"One of the great things about the ICC Mediation Competition is the invaluable contribution that it is making to the future of international dispute resolution," said Christopher Newmark, Mediator and Arbitrator, Spenser Underhill Newmark. "The students learn and demonstrate mediation and negotiation skills that they will use throughout their careers for the benefit of the global business community. These lawyers will be able to communicate constructively across cultural borders in a way that many of their predecessors have struggled to do."
The competition received entries from all five continents in the last round of entries from 40 schools representing a total of 18 nationalities. The National University of Singapore took first place in the 4th Annual International Commercial Mediation Competition. In 2010, the competition will gather approximately 50 law schools and will take place in Paris on 6-10 February 2010.
Consisting of two parts - written and oral advocacy - the competition divides teams into requesting and responding parties in mock mediation sessions. Team members are required to act out the role of counsel and client before a mediator and two judges. Competitors must apply ICC's Amicable Dispute Resolution (ADR) Rules to solve problems devised by a special drafting committee of international mediation experts during three days of preliminary rounds and two days of final rounds.
"The ICC Mediation Competition affords students and practising professionals alike the rare opportunity to learn in real cross-cultural settings that mediation is a better way for business to achieve efficient, effective, and indeed, magical resolutions," said David Plant, Mediator, Arbitrator and Teacher.
Only eight universities will make it through to the final rounds. Quarter-finals will take place on the morning of the fourth day of the competition and semi-finals will take place on the same day in the afternoon. In the afternoon of the last day, the two highest ranking teams will compete in the final round.
Registration fee to enter is €500 per school and each team is responsible for its own expenses.
The one-of-a-kind educational event in international mediation will be sponsored by major international law firms, companies, and publishing houses in the field of international dispute resolution.
Deadline for entries is 20 October 2009. Should you wish to apply as a university team or mediation professional, please apply here.
Additional information on the competition can be found here.
View photographs of the 2008 Competition here.
Click here to order a 2008 competition final DVD.
For any additional information, please contact:
Mathilde Vital Durand
Project Manager - Lawyer
5th ICC International Commercial Mediation Competition
ICC Dispute Resolution Services
ADR - Expertise - Dispute Boards
mvd@iccwbo.org
+33 (0) 1 49 53 28 38