Following the 2006 debut of a University of Wisconsin Law School team at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition in Vienna, the Law School’s East Asian Legal Studies Center sponsored a team to participate in both the 2007 Vienna competition and its "sister" competition in Hong Kong, Vis (East). One group went to Hong Kong in late March and the other to Vienna the following week.
The Hong Kong group advanced to the semi-finals, competing against 46 teams from around the world. Team members were Neil Bjorkman, Leanne Holcomb, Nicole Moody, Kate Sorensen, and Sam Rikkers. Sorensen and Holcomb received honorable mention for the Best Oralist award.
The UW Law School team also placed second in the Best Respondent's Memorandum category at the Hong Kong competition.
At the Vienna competition, the UW Law School was represented by John Carlson, James Isaac, Amanda Kimble, Richard Rasmussen, and Nancy Vue, competing against 178 teams from law schools around the world. The UW advanced to the first elimination round of 32 teams, losing to the University of Zagreb (Croatia), which eventually lost to the University of Freiburg (Germany) in the final round of competition.
UW Law student D. Richard Rasmussen received an Honorable Mention for Best Oralist at the Vienna competition.
The 10-student team is coached by third-year law students Chiann Bao and Melissa Caulum.
Bao expressed appreciation to the East Asian Legal Studies Center for generous financial support and to Professors Ralph Cagle and Susan Steingass for their role in preparing the team. "Professors Cagle and Steingass have been invaluable not only as faculty advisors throughout but also as oral advocacy coaches by working individually with students," Bao said. "Moreover, we've involved the entire community to practice-judge with us. From lawyers in the community to faculty members to classmates, many have helped out in preparing us for this competition."
Submitted by on March 29, 2007
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