Willem C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
Introduced in 1994, the Vis is the oldest and largest international commercial arbitration moot in the world (it is also the largest moot insofar as the Jessup Moot only sees the top 120 to 180 teams qualify for the international rounds). The oral rounds take place around the Easter period.
The moot problem is typically divided into two main segments, with one speaker handling the procedural issues (based on a chosen set of institutional arbitration rules, such as the International Chamber of Commerce and Singapore International Arbitration Centre rules), and the other handling the substantive issues under the Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The chosen issues are often faced in practice as well, such as the implications of ordering remote hearings when parties may not have expressly agreed on such hearings. Other relevant applicable rules include the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts and the IBA Guidelines on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration.
The arbitration panels in the competition typically comprise a range of arbitration practitioners, with senior and leading figures such as Gary Born and Ingeborg Schwenzer featuring in the knockout stages. The Vis has a sister moot in Hong Kong, Vis East, which uses the same moot problem and is held days before the Vienna edition. Due to travel restrictions brought about by COVID-19, the 2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22 editions were held online. The 2022/23 edition saw a return to in-person format.
A mediation and negotiation competition (CDRC Vienna) based on the Vis moot problem is organised every year by the International Bar Association and Vienna International Arbitration Centre.
Established: 1994
Venue: Vienna
Record number of participants: 387 teams (2023)
Subject matter: International commercial arbitration
Qualification process: None, but pre-moots available, such as Hamburg, Budapest, and LCIA
Prep window: October to April
Comp duration: 8 days, with socio-academic events included
Maximum team size: No limit
Team anonymity: No
Format: Sit-down, 4 issues, 2 speakers, 30 minutes (including 2-speaker rebuttal); 4 prelim rounds, knockouts from 64 with random seeding; 35-page pleadings for each side
Memorial weightage: None
Advanced round qualification priority: Oral scores
Registration fee: 730 euros per team
Repeat participation: No for oralists who made the knockouts in either Vis moot
Multiple teams from same institution: Not allowed
Most championships: University of Ottawa (3)
Most awards won in a single edition across both moots: Singapore Management University (11, 2019/20)
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Past winners
Final four (no of teams)
2024 (374): Bucerius Law School; University of Vienna; University of Pristina; University of Tubingen
2023 (387): University of Vienna; University of Belgrade; Singapore Management University; University of Hamburg
2022 (online): Sofia University; University of Hamburg; University of Pretoria; University of Sydney
2021 (online): Bucerius Law School; Singapore Management University; National Law University Delhi; University of Ottawa
2020 (online): West Bengal National University; University of Freiburg; University of Hamburg; University of Queensland
2019 (379): Penn State University; University of Ottawa; Lomonosov Moscow State University; University of Zenica
2018 (362): National Research University HSE; University of Cambridge; National Law School of India University; University of Bucharest
2017 (367): University of Ottawa; Jindal Global Law School; Columbia University; University of Montevideo
2016 (333): University of Bueno Aires; Singapore Management University; Pontifical Catholic University of Parana
2015 (298): University of Ottawa; Singapore Management University
2014 (290): Deakin University; National Law School of India University; Duke University
2013 (290): City University of Hong Kong; Monash University
2012 (282): NALSAR University; University College London; Harvard University
2011 (262): University of Ottawa; University of Montevideo
2010 (255): King's College London; University of Ottawa; York University; University of Hamburg
2009 (234): Victoria University of Wellington; University of Pune
2008 (~ 150): Universidad Carlos III de Madrid; Touro Law Centre; University of Vienna
2007 (178): University of Freiburg; University of Zagreb
2006 (150): Queen Mary, University of London; Stetson University; Columbia University
2005 (150): Stetson University; University of Vienna
2004 (136): York University; Victoria University of Wellington
2003 (128): West Bengal National University; Humboldt University
2002 (108): National University of Singapore; University of Queensland
2001 (~ 90): Monash University; University of Cologne; Harvard University
2000 (80): University of Queensland; Loyola Law School
1999 (~ 60): Deakin University; Tulane University
1998 (~ 50): University of Munster; University of Queensland
1997 (~ 40): University of Queensland; University of Cologne
1996 (~ 30): Cornell University; Deakin University
1995 (~ 20): University of Freiburg; University of Nottingham
1994 (11): Columbia University; Laval University
Best memorial (C)
2024: University of Hamburg
2023: Saarland University
2022: University of Heidelberg
2021: Aarhus University
2020: London School of Economics
2019: University of Sydney
2018: University of Geneva
2017: Columbia University and University of Geneva
2016: University of Lucerne
2015: Humboldt University
2014: University of Freiburg
2013: University of Belgrade and University of Munich
2012: Harvard University and University of Zurich
2011: Stockholm University
2010: University of New South Wales
2009: University of Sydney
2008: University of California, Berkeley
2007: University of Freiburg
2006: Columbia University and University of Munich
2005: University of Copehagen
2004: University of Heidelberg and University of Zurich
2003: University of Bonn
2002: University of Queensland
2001: University of Freiburg
2000: University of Heidelberg
1999: University of Basel
1998: University of Munster
1997: University of Copenhagen
Best memorial (R)
2024: University of Zurich
2023: University of Freiburg
2022: Sofia University
2021: University of Zurich
2020: University of Vienna
2019: University of Vienna
2018: Humboldt University
2017: University of Munich
2016: University of Freiburg
2015: National Law University, Jodhpur
2014: University of Fribourg
2013: National University of Singapore
2012: University of Freiburg
2011: University of St Gallen
2010: University of New South Wales
2009: Stockholm University
2008: University of Heidelberg
2007: University of Freiburg
2006: University of Munich
2005: Humboldt University
2004: National University of Singapore
2003: University of Cologne
2002: University of Mainz
2001: University of Zagreb
2000: University of Heidelberg
1999: University of Basel
1998: University of Munster
1997: Deakin University
Best speaker
2024: University of Sydney
2023: University of Edinburgh
2022 (online): University of Aarhus
2021 (online): BPP Law School
2020 (online): La Trobe University
2019: Brooklyn Law School
2018: University of Sydney
2017: Monash University and University of Ottawa
2016: University of Amsterdam
2015: National University of Singapore
2014: University of San Diego
2013: University of Ottawa
2012: University of Hamburg
2011: University of Freiburg
2010: University of Freiburg
2009: Lincoln's Inn
2008: University of Munster
2007: Southern Methodist University
2006: York University
2005: University of New South Wales
2004: Mari State University
2003: Deakin University and University of New South Wales
2002: University of Queensland
2001: Loyola Law School
2000: University of Munster
1999: University of Cologne
1998: University of Kiel
1997: University of Copenhagen
1996: University of Cologne
1995: University of Freiburg
1994: University of Freiburg