On 14 February, the Team of American University of Armenia won the Armenian round of Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.
“Impressions are so many that we cannot even find words. This is the first time that we were able to keep high the name of the American University of Armenia. We did not sleep at nights, and even did not celebrate the New Year as we were preparing for the Competition,” members of the winner team said.
Lawyer Tigran Nahapetyan, who was a judge at the final round reminded that it is already the second year that the National Rounds of the competition is held in English language. “This is certainly a positive development. If I shall consider this from the fact that in the past I also participated in the competition, I have to note that today’s participants are much more prepared than I was in those years. Perhaps it is natural, otherwise it will be a bad tendency,” he said.
Syuzanna Soghomonyan the Armenian National Administrator of Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition said that all participants were well prepared. “If you once participate in this Competition, you become the bearer of the Jessup spirit. That is the participants are always in contact with the Competition,” she said.
Since 2000, this most prestigious competition in the world of international law is being organized in Armenia. Organizers of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition are: Armenian Young Lawyers Association, the Law Foundation of Armenia and “LEGAL ALLIANCE” Law Firm in cooperation with the Jessup Club of Armenia. The winner team of the National Competition will participate in the international rounds of the 2016 Philip C. Jessup Law Moot Court Competition in Washington DC, US in April 2016.
According to Mr. Karen Zadoyan, The President of the Armenian Young lawyers association and “LEGAL ALLIANCE” Law Firm, it is planned to launch the activities aimed at the development of the international public law in cooperation with the responsible authorities in the education sector of the republic and the management of universities. “The participants of the competition shall contribute much to achieve this. We should be able to bring this potential to the law schools, specifically those in the regions,” he said and added that the organizers are planning to carry out large scale activities in all regions. “We shall encourage all those students who will initiate the really important task of organizing the Competition chapters in their law schools,” Mr. Zadoyan said.
The award ceremony took place in the office of the Association of Young Lawyers of Armenia. The Jessupers recalled the 16 years way that they had passed. At the end another round of the Competition took place. This time the coaches of the teams were playing against each other, while the team members were in the role of judges.
Notably, Suzanna Soghomonyan was also awarded with a certificate of cognition for her notable contribution to the development of the national rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.
It is due to mention that the Chairman of the RA Court of Cassation Mr. Arman Mkrtumyan, the Judicial Department of the RA and the RA Academy of Justice supported organization of the Competition. The final round took place in the Session hall of the RA Court of Cassation.