At the University of Miami School of Law, students have multiple opportunities to gain first-hand experience in litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution. Recently, Miami Law’s International Moot Court team, comprised of second-year students Angela Pope, Minah Malik, and Jade Armstrong, excelled at the prestigious ICC Moot Competition – Americas round at Pace Law School in New York. Each member of the team received awards: Pope received recognition for her brief as defense counsel, Malik excelled as victims’ counsel with awards for both her advocacy skills and her brief, while Armstrong was honored for her advocacy skills as prosecution counsel.
To prepare for this challenging competition, the team engaged in numerous practice rounds, benefiting from the guidance of international criminal law experts and alumni from the International Moot Court Program. Nicoletta Pappas, J.D. ’23, who co-coached the team, shared her own experience as a former competitor, having participated twice in the ICC Moot as both a victim's and a prosecutor's counsel, earning multiple awards along the way.
“Preparing for the ICC Moot was a true team effort, made possible by the invaluable guidance of Professor Paula Arias, IMCP alumni, and international criminal law experts,” said Pope. “Their generosity, commitment, and unwavering support at every step were instrumental to our success.
“Winning an award at the ICC Moot was a deeply emotional moment—not just for me but for our entire team," Pope said, reflecting on the significance of their achievements. "It was a culmination of months of hard work and countless hours perfecting every aspect of our written and oral arguments. Sitting alongside my teammates in that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride—not just in what we had achieved, but in how we had achieved it. It's a moment I will always cherish because of the lifelong bonds I formed throughout this experience.”
The International Criminal Moot competition was originally established by Pace Law School in 2004 as an in-class exercise before evolving into an international event in 2006. Since then, it has grown into the world’s largest competition focused on international criminal law, with participation from over 100 teams representing more than 50 countries each year. Competitions feature roles for prosecution counsel, defense counsel, government counsel, and victims’ representatives, with judges from the International Criminal Court.
“As a lawyer and professor, participating in the ICC Moot Court Competition is always one of the most enriching and rewarding academic exercises,” said Arias. “For those of us who advocate for and defend the human rights system, this competition is an invaluable opportunity to teach future lawyers how to navigate and apply the legal framework needed to sanction and prevent atrocities. I am proud to contribute each year to the formation of professionals committed to legality, justice, and the defense of fundamental rights—a mission we deeply uphold at the University of Miami.”
As the only program of its kind in the United States, the International Moot Court Program empowers students to represent the School of Law in various international legal competitions while earning course credit. The program combines a comprehensive workshop with participation in international moot court competitions.
Read more about Miami Law’s moot court organizations.
