Published January 29, 2008
Five University of Wyoming College of Law students will compete at the Jessup Cup
moot court competition Feb. 18-March 2 in Santa Clara, Calif.
Representing UW at the competition will be Sarah Bandy (Littleton, Colo.), Kristen
Barton (Laramie), Anthony Gibbs (Tiburon, Calif.), Jennifer Kemp (Denver, Colo.) and
Jason Mundy (Macon, Ga.). They were the top five scorers among 25 students in an intra-law
school oral argument based on a previous Jessup fact pattern.
The event, which is organized by the International Law Students Association, will
include more than 20 U.S. law schools competing at the pacific regional qualifier
at the Santa Clara School of Law. The winner there qualifies for the national finals
in Washington, D.C. in April.
For the competition, each team must articulate the substantive arguments of two fictitious
opposing countries based on a fabricated fact pattern. The fact pattern is meant to
elicit broad and deep analysis of international law implications and obligations.
This year, the pattern touches on human rights issues. Students will present oral
arguments to judges comprising law professors and others in the field of international
law.
"The competition is widely regarded as an extremely competitive and important moot
court competition," says Gibbs.
The competition is named after Phillip C. Jessup, who, in 1951, was appointed by President
Harry Truman as the U.S. delegate to the United Nations. He later served as U.S. representative
on the International Court of Justice from 1961-1970.
