Oxford wins 18th International Roman Law Moot Court Competition
Last month, the 18th International Roman Law Moot Court (IRLMC) was held at the University of Oxford. Since 2008, the annual competition has brought together undergraduate teams and academics from eight leading European universities to conduct research and present legal arguments on complex issues of Roman private law. The Moot offers talented students the opportunity to showcase their skills internationally and promotes ties between legal systems based on the Roman legal tradition like those in continental Europe and those that are not, such as the common law systems of England and Australia.
This year’s IRLMC ran from 8 to 11 April. The problem, devised by Professor Wolfgang Ernst (Regius Professor of Civil Law at All Souls College), involved two claims: a condictio for unjust enrichment and an actio empti for the sale of a statulibera – an enslaved woman who will attain her freedom on the fulfilment of certain conditions.
Over the course of three days, simulated hearings in court between plaintiffs and defendants known as ‘Moots’ were held between teams of four students drawn from eight European universities – the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, the Université de Liège, the Universität Trier and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Six preliminary rounds were followed by semi-finals, a small final and a grand final. Lord Sales of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom presided over the panel of five judges in the final, which took place in the Library of All Souls College.
Oxford emerged victorious after the three days of mooting. Raphael Monteiro, a Law student at Christ Church, was a member of the winning team that also comprised Kabir Suri, Lucia Roussel-Milner Roman and Victor Bordereau of Magdalen College, St Anne’s College and New College respectively. Kabir Suri was commended for being the second-best speaker. The team was coached by Professor Ciara Kennefick, Christ Church's Tutorial Fellow (Official Student) in Law.
I was delighted to be able to bring some parts of this prestigious competition to Christ Church this year.
I was delighted to be able to bring some parts of this prestigious competition to Christ Church this year.
Professor Ernst and Professor Kennefick, who organised the 18th IRLMC, expressed their gratitude to Christ Church and the Law Faculty for funding the event. Christ Church also hosted one day of mooting in various splendid venues including the Upper Library and the Chapter House. The organisers also thanked the mooting coordinator, Dr Benjamin Spagnolo – formerly of Christ Church but now of Trinity College, Cambridge – without whom this year’s competition could not have taken place.
Reflecting on the event, Professor Kennefick said: ‘I was delighted to be able to bring some parts of this prestigious competition to Christ Church this year given its connection to my teaching and my research. The teaching of Roman law in the House has a long and distinguished history.’
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