Singapore Management University wins Jessup World Championship in year marked by record participation

Global law firm White & Case LLP is pleased to share that Singapore Management University won the White & Case Jessup Cup, the top prize of the 2025 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, organized by the International Law Students Association (ILSA). Following a week of competitive matches, Singapore Management University and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Ukraine) advanced to the World Championship Round, rising above 159 other teams from 88 jurisdictions in the largest in-person competition in Jessup history.

The winning team members from Singapore Management University include Lovein Sui, Elizabeth Ho, Genieve Wu, Raelee Toh and Erica Wee and coaches Professor Nicholas Liu and Fu Qiyuan. This is the school's fourth time reaching the final round of the competition and its first Jessup Cup win. It is the fifth time a Singapore team has won the championship – the last win was in 2001. The Stephen Schwebel Award recognizing the best oralist in the final round was given to Erica Wee.

This marked the first time a team from Ukraine has reached the final round. The National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy first competed in 2000 and previously advanced to the Octofinals.

"Watching the final round of the Jessup Competition was an absolute privilege—I was deeply impressed by the advocacy, preparation and poise demonstrated by both teams," said Firm Chair Heather McDevitt, a former Jessup competitor herself.  "The passion and intellect displayed at Jessup each year serves as a powerful reminder that the future of our profession is in capable hands."

Nearly 9,500 people in person and online watched the teams in the final round argue before three current and past members of the International Court of Justice: Judge Joan Donoghue, who served on the Court from 2010 to 2024, including its President from 2020 to 2024; Judge Juan Manuel Gomez Robledo, who has been a member of the Court since 2024; and Judge Georg Nolte, who joined the Court in 2021. Leading up to the final round, more than 230 practitioners, professors and judges from 53 countries adjudicated the preliminary rounds, demonstrating the global reach and varied expertise in the Jessup judge pool.

Dipen Sabharwal, London partner, member of the Firm's Executive Committee and former Jessup World Champion, judged the Semifinal Rounds this year and said: "As one of the many Jessup alumni around the Firm, it is incredibly rewarding to support the competition, especially given the impact it had on my career."

To celebrate and promote the Jessup and inspire the students who participate, in 2021 White & Case created an award to recognize distinguished alumni. White & Case partner Aditya Singh, based in Singapore, presented the 2025 White & Case Distinguished Jessup Alumni Award to Judge Georg Nolte from the International Court of Justice. Previous recipients include Brad Smith of Microsoft, Judge Hilary Charlesworth of the International Court of Justice, Judge Florence Mumba of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia and Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon of Singapore.

The Firm became a Global Partner of the Jessup in 2007 and has sponsored the White & Case International Rounds since 2010.

For complete results of the 2025 White & Case International Rounds, please go to ILSA's website (www.ilsa.org).

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