Miami Law’s International Moot Court team of Javier Roldan Cora, 2L, Alejandra Chinea, 2L and Leticia Mora, J.D. ’17, placed six out of 65 teams from around the world at the International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition at The Hague, Netherlands. They were the highest ranked team from the Americas, and Cora, who played the role of prosecutor, was named Best Oralist in the competition.
“Our experience at The Hague was incredibly rewarding,” said Cora. “I am extremely proud of the amazing work our team did, and getting to the semifinals was a great accomplishment. I was humbled by being named one of the best oralists, but all the credit goes to the team. I certainly would not have been half as good without them continuing support and drive to make us all better.”
The ICC Moot welcomes universities from all over the world for this competition that simulates the proceedings of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Competition consists of a six-day education and social program to challenge students on their skills as future international lawyers. The final round takes place in an actual ICC courtroom with ICC judges presiding.
The team started practicing in September 2016 on a case about genocide and crimes against humanity committed by members of a military regime. The team qualified for the International Round at The Hague when they placed third at the ICC regional round in March of this year.
“We worked over the fall semester learning the intricacies of the law in order to develop the arguments to address the three main issues of the case,” said Paula Arias, Director of the International Moot Court Program and team coach. “We focused on writing the briefs on behalf of the 3 sides: Prosecutor, Defense and Victims Counsel during the winter break, and we worked over the oral advocacy strategy for each position during the spring semester.
“The week in The Hague was just a confirmation of the work done over the months. The students were extremely prepared and the arguments were highly refined. The judges congratulated Leticia, Javier & Alejandra on their quality; even the writer of the moot case, told the team how impressive their arguments were.”
Visiting Colombian Scholar Andrea Mateus Rugeles also helped coach this team.
“The international round of the ICC competition was an unforgettable experience,” said Mora, who recently graduated from Miami Law. “Having to view and argue the same case from 3 different lenses (prosecution, defense, and victims counsel) while simultaneously adapting your arguments in order to respond to competitors was not easy. However, thanks to our amazing coaches we were able to work and prepare for each round. I learned so much about the International Criminal system and I believe this foundation of knowledge will serve me well in the future. “
More on Miami Law’s International Moot Court Program
