The Case Concerning the Sisters of the Sun - the 58th Philip C. With this year’s facts, Jessup International Law Moot Court brought current and problematic legal issues back to the universities worldwide; so also to the University of Münster. This year, issues of international environmental law have been raised, especially in terms of the lawful use of transnational groundwater basins and the handling of endangered transnational World Heritage. The focus was also on indigenous cultural property protection and possible financial compensation claims of a host state after mass migration. The dominant topic of the “Jessup 2017” was therefore a currently contested necessity: the right to water.

Even before the facts were published by ILSA in early September 2016, this year’s Jessup team moved into an office in the AUB in order to be able to discuss the problems raised together intensively. Aylin Arens, Dietrich Bade, Liam Ehm, Janine Flohr and Sarah Popp were actively supported and trained by the coaches Isabel Lischewski and Jana Lohmann (both are scientific assistants at the Institute for Public Law, including international and European law as well as empirical legal research). Thus, a team was able to emerge that could in the end argue in a well-founded manner to both sides of the fall in front of the fictional ICJ of the German national rounds.

After several months of research and text work, the written drafts were submitted in mid-January 2017. After that, the intensive preparation for the oral proceedings began immediately. Already in November, the team had been rhetorically trained on a preparatory ride by the coaches. In the now remaining time until mid-March, the pleas were filed and the lecture practiced. Again and again, dedicated guests came to feel the participants with questions on the tooth. In addition, several law firms have taken time to follow the lectures and give valuable feedback.

From 8. - 12. The national rounds took place at the University of Passau in March 2017. There, 20 teams of German universities met, which faced each other in the next few days during simulated court hearings before the “IGH”. Münster competed against the universities of Kiel, Bochum, Passau and Freie Universität Berlin. From the beginning, intense matches were guaranteed. In the end, the Humblot University of Berlin won in an exciting final against the University of Hamburg, the university of Heidelberg took third place.

In addition, there was a framework program, which with a city tour and typical localities also invited you to get to know the city of Passau. At two evening events, you could also talk to the volunteer “judges” and receive valuable feedback. Well-known personalities were also represented here, such as Mr Prof. Dr. Abdul Koroma, judge at the International Court of Justice (a.d.). In addition, the resolved mood in the evening offered the opportunity to get to know other participants, whose last months included many similar experiences.

In general, the participating students require a deep understanding of the case and a broad background knowledge in international law. The professors, lecturers, lawyers and scientists engaged in the Jessup Moot Court as a judge pay attention to fluent English, flexibility, charisma and sensitivity for the weaknesses of the other side. A requirement package that, as a good school, prepares for many job profiles, but also requires many months of intensive work and preparation - far beyond the framework of the normal everyday study routine.

To participate in the 59. Jessup Moot Court 2018 will once again be assembled by a Münster team. The application process will be carried out in the course of the summer semester 2017, the work on the facts will start at the beginning of September 2017.
Interested parties are always happy to receive further information about the Jessup Moot Court 2018 from Ms. Jana Lohmann at the Chair of Mr. Prof. Dr. Petersen.