University of the Philippines wins Jessup World Championship in the largest in-person competition in Jessup history

Global law firm White & Case LLP announced today that the University of the Philippines won the White & Case Jessup Cup, the top prize of the 2024 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Following a week of competitive matches, the University of the Philippines and the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (Argentina) advanced to the World Championship Round, rising above 148 other teams representing 85 countries in the largest in-person competition in Jessup history.

Administered by the International Law Students Association (ILSA), Jessup brings together teams of international law students who present arguments on an international law case of a hypothetical legal dispute between nations before a simulated International Court of Justice. Teams prepare written memorials and 45-minute oral presentations for both the applicant and respondent positions of the case. Jessup is the world's largest and oldest moot court competition.

The winning team members from the University of the Philippines include Mary Regine Dadole, Pauline De Leon, Pauline Samantha Sagayo, Chinzen Viernes and Ignacio Lorenzo Villareal and coaches Rommel J. Casis and Marianne Crielle G. Vitug. This is the University of the Philippines' second Jessup Cup win – having previously won in 1995 – and marked the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella's first time advancing this far. The Stephen Schwebel Award recognizing the best oralist in the final round was given to Ignacio Villareal. The international rounds took place in Washington, DC from March 30 to April 6.

"The caliber of the competition at the Jessup World Championship grows each year and the talent, dedication and perseverance of the law students who join us from across of the globe is truly remarkable," said Melissa Butler, White & Case London partner and Global Citizenship Chair. "Given the current global climate, it is particularly inspiring to see this group of future lawyers come together to address complex international legal problems."

The teams in the final round argued before Chilean Judge María Teresa Infante Caffi of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon of the Supreme Court of Singapore, and Ganna Yudkivska, Vice Chair of the UN Working Group on Arbitration Detentions and former Judge of the European Court of Human Rights from Ukraine.

Elizabeth Black, Director of Global Citizenship, added: "We are thrilled to have welcomed the greatest number of teams in Jessup history this year as 150 teams from 85 jurisdictions argued before 244 volunteer judges from 71 countries. More than two-thirds of the judges joined us from outside of the US, demonstrating the importance of the competition to the international community and its continued investment in Jessup's success."

White & Case became a Global Partner of Jessup in 2007 and has sponsored the White & Case International Rounds since 2010 under the leadership of former Chair Hugh Verrier. This year, ILSA honored Verrier with an award recognizing his decades-long support for the Jessup competition.

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 2024 White & Case Distinguished Jessup Alumni Award to Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon. Previous recipients include Brad Smith of Microsoft, Judge Hilary Charlesworth of the International Court of Justice, and Judge Florence Mumba of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

For complete results of the 2024 White & Case International Rounds, please go to ILSA's website (www.ilsa.org).

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