For the first time since 1998, a team from the United States reached the final round of the Inter-American Human Rights Moot Court Competition—and the historic honor belongs to the University of Miami School of Law International Moot Court Program.
Competing in English against an elite, international field from 21 countries including India, Brazil, Belgium, and Venezuela, law students Amanda Sarmientos and Camilo Daza advanced all the way to the final round, ultimately earning the distinction of runner-up. The competition is widely recognized as one of the oldest, largest, and most respected human rights moots in the world.
The competition is based on a hypothetical case addressing cutting-edge issues currently debated within the Inter-American legal system. Students argue the merits of this case by writing legal memoranda and preparing oral arguments for presentation in front of human rights experts acting as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. This year’s topic was “The Right to Protest Under International Human Rights Law.”
In addition to the historic second-place team finish, both students took home top individual honors. Daza received the prestigious Best Oralist Award for the entire competition, as well as Best English-Speaking Oralist Award, while Sarmientos received the Best Victims’ Brief in English Award.
As a direct result of their exceptional performance, both students also earned prestigious internship opportunities with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in D.C.
A year of relentless preparation
The team’s historic run was the culmination of nearly a year of rigorous preparation under the leadership of Paula Arias, director of the International Moot Court Program (IMCP).
"We’d been at it since around August or September," Daza recalled. "The Inter-American human rights system was a completely new area of international law for me … Our December holiday break was spent reading the case countless times; spring break was for putting the finishing touches on our briefs; and our only real break came around finals."
Sarmientos said the intensity ramped up as the competition grew closer. "We began meeting two to three times per week, first to prepare the briefs and then to go over oral argument drills. We researched nonstop. New issues came up every practice, and that is what made all the difference."
Weathering a tough bench
Facing intense, nonstop questioning from international judges, both advocates relied on their training to stay grounded.
"For me, it came down to preparation and just locking in," said Daza. "Knowing that, at the end of the day, it's a conversation between the bench and me … My coaches and my teammate prepared me for all of it."
Sarmientos echoed the pride they felt standing at the podium. "It was a difficult bench with nonstop questions, but I think we weathered it and left it all on the podium," she said. "The victim’s brief was a pleasant and reassuring surprise … I’m happy that my hard work paid off and we get to take that recognition home to Miami."
A community success
The historic run was heavily supported by the School of Law community. IMCP alumni Leticia Mora, Valentina Arbelaez, Jacob Benchatrit, Amanda Ramirez, Davis Schollan, Bayly Williams, and Cristina Velasquez served as judges in practice rounds, while Natalia Jaramillo provided critical on-site support in D.C.
The competition is a unique trilingual (English, Portuguese, and Spanish) event established to train law students on how to use the Inter-American human rights legal system as a legitimate forum for redressing human rights violations. Since its inception in 1995, it has trained more than 5,000 students and faculty participants from over 370 universities from the Americas and beyond.
"Camilo and Amanda made history," said Arias. "Their performance is a powerful testament to the talent of the legal minds cultivated at the University of Miami School of Law, as well as to the rigor, dedication, and high-quality advocacy training provided by the International Moot Court Program."
Read more about the School of Law’s moot court organizations.
