SMU law students win international moot court trophy; first Singapore victory since 2001

A team of five law students from the Singapore Management University (SMU) has won the world’s largest moot court competition, in a year that saw a record number of 805 teams vying for the trophy.

It is the first time in 24 years that a Singapore team has won the prestigious Philip C. Jessup international law moot court competition.

Teams from the National University of Singapore won the competition in 1982, 1985, 1994 and 2001.

The Jessup moot, as it is known, simulates proceedings before the International Court of Justice, and draws students from hundreds of law schools across the globe each year.

A total of 805 teams representing 104 jurisdictions took part in 2025, setting an all-time record for participation in the competition’s 66-year history.

The winning team from SMU’s Yong Pung How School of Law comprised final-year students Lovein Sui, Elizabeth Ho, Genieve Wu, Raelee Toh – all 23 – and Erica Wee, 24. It is the school’s first win since it started taking part in the competition in 2013.

Ms Wee was also named the best oralist of the competition.

The team was coached by Assistant Professor Nicholas Liu and juris doctor student Fu Qiyuan.

The competition topic poses a hypothetical dispute between countries, and teams compete by presenting written and oral arguments before a panel of judges.

Winners of national or regional qualifying rounds advanced to the international rounds in the US capital, Washington, DC, from March 29 to April 5.

The 2025 topic focused on a dispute about two states belonging to a regional organisation.

SMU faced off against Ukraine’s National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in the final round on April 5.

It was the fourth time SMU had reached the finals since its law school was founded in 2007.

Associate Professor Chen Siyuan, who oversees the development and training of SMU’s mooting teams, said: “It’s wonderful to finally get the cup back to Singapore after 24 years.”

He praised the five undergrads, who have trained and competed in moots since 2022, for their resilience.

Speaking to The Straits Times, he said the five had to get back to studying for their upcoming exams after their victory.

He said competition preparation takes seven to eight months, as the topic is released in September the year before.

The first half was spent drafting a brief of almost 30,000 words.

The second half involved almost 70 sessions of rehearsals of oral arguments. These practice sessions were judged by alumni members.

Prof Chen, who also organised “boot camps” just before the competition, said the win, being SMU’s first, holds extra significance. 

“I think there’s a collective happiness about this,” he said, referring to the reaction of the legal community to the long-awaited win.

Notable Jessup alumni in Singapore include Law Minister K. Shanmugam, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Attorney-General Lucien Wong, and Senior Counsel Davinder Singh.

In comments to ST, Chief Justice Menon, who was a finalist in 1986, said the Jessup moot “represents one of the most rigorous and rewarding experiences that law students aspire to be a part of”.

“This hard-earned victory could have only been achieved with months of intense preparation by the team and the outstanding support of its coaches and alumni, all of whom have much to be proud of,” he said.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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