NALSAR, Hyderabad wins the National Qualifying Rounds of The Philip C. Jessup International Law

New Delhi: National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), Hyderabad will represent India at the finals of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the world’s largest and most prestigious moot court tournament in Washington D.C.

The team was selected after qualifying rounds which witnessed participation of 36 teams from law universities and colleges from across the country. Team NALSAR, which beat Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat, in the final round of a four-day journey at Amity Law School Amity University, Noida, will now contest at the prestigious global final round which takes place every year in Washington D.C.

The four winners of the NALSAR team are Priyamvada Shivaj, Vishaka Ramesh, Vishesh Bhatia and Pranya Maldi. The final round was judged Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Former Chief Justice Of India & Former Chairperson Of NHRC, Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, Delhi High Court and Mr. A.K. Chawla of Delhi High Court.

Calling Students his friends with intellect, Justice Dipak Misra, Former Chief Justice of India asked students to know law and understand the art of advocacy. He also asked students to present their legal knowledge without aggression. “A lawyer should engage in invisible action as it takes him into conceptual thinking. Students must have intellectual empathy with subject of law,” said Dipak Mishra. He also shared how a real student of law stands against anarchy and the participation in a moot court competition is a fundamental reflection of learning in group and learning from each other. He advised students to make the most of the good education as it opens doors to many opportunities and those who avail these become achievers. “Students of law should fall in love with knowledge for not getting dividends but to have the bliss of divinity,” he said. Justice Misra also asked the students to take a spiritual pledge of becoming lovers of knowledge in 2020.

Ms. Pinky Anand, Additional Solicitor General of India called mooting as an extension of public debates. “Democracy is identified by the process of public debate that further helps in building confidence of a students and also help them to become a fine solicitor,” added Ms Anand.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, Delhi High Court shared his personal experiences with the students and advised them to join law only if they loved the subject. “The degree of law gives you lot of flexibility. You can make what you want with this degree. And it is more than a profession but is a higher calling. Do not commercialise it. Your motivation should be to practice the profession and not tun the business of lawyering,” said Justice Bhambhani.

Marking the end of a 4-day long Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, 2019, Amity Law School organized a valedictory function today at Amity University, Noida. The Philip C. Jessup Competition is the world’s oldest and largest moot court competition that spans the globe with over 700 law schools across 100 countries. The participating teams presented their oral and written arguments on behalf of the applicant as well as the respondent positions in a case between fictional countries before the International Court of Justice on the topics of the accountability of heads of State for war crimes, killer robots, and a wall. ‘International Law’.

The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is administered by the International Law Students Association (ILSA), a non-profit association of students and lawyers who are dedicated to the promotion of international law. It is noteworthy that India has won the Jessup World Cup in 1999 and 2013 and will be attempting to register another win in the prestigious competition.

A souvenir was also released on the occasion. Also present on the occasion were Justice A.K. Chawla, Delhi High Court, Justice Sangita Dhingra, Delhi High Court, Vismay Shroff, National Administrator, Jessup India National Rounds, 2020, Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Bandyopadhyay, Chairman, Amity Law Schools, Dr. Shefali Raizada, Additional Director/HOI, Amity Law School, Noida and hundreds of students from the participating teams.