Willem C. Vis Moot

Vis Moot

The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot is an annual international moot court competition held in Vienna, Austria. The object of the Vis Arbitral Moot is to foster study in the areas of international commercial and arbitration laws and encourage the resolution of business disputes by arbitration. The problem for the moot is always based on an international sales transaction subjected to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, 1980 (also referred to as the United Nations or the Vienna Sales Convention, or CISG) and also involves procedural issues of arbitration. The moot consists of submitting written memoranda prior to the moot on designated dates for both sides of the dispute (Claimant and Respondent in legal terminology). The oral arguments phase of the moot is held in Vienna.

Organizer and sponsors

Organizer

The Vis Moot is organized by the Association for the Organization and Promotion of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. The Director is Pace Law School's Eric E. Bergsten, Professor Emeritus of Pace University School of Law and a former Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

Sponsoring Organizations

The Vis Arbitration Moot is sponsored by Pace Law School, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) / American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Arbitral Centre of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA), CEPANI (Belgium), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Chicago International Dispute Resolution Association (CIDRA), the Chinese-European Arbitration Centre (CEAC), German Institution of Arbitration (DIS), the International Chamber of Commerce, JAMS, the London Court of International Arbitration, the Moot Alumni Association (MAA), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), Swiss Chambers' Arbitration, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the University of Vienna Faculty of Law.

About Willem C. Vis

The Arbitration Moot is named after Willem Cornelis Vis (1924-1993), a world-recognized expert in international commercial transactions and dispute settlement procedures. Willem Vis was born in Utrecht in the Netherlands and read law, economics and philosophy at Leyden, Nijmegen, Strasbourg and Magdalen College, Oxford. He graduated from Leyden University and Nijmegen University in the Netherlands.

Professor Vis began to work for European co-operation in 1957 as a member of the Council of Europe Secretariat, in its human rights and legal affairs directorates, and later, in 1965, became Deputy Secretary-General of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) in Rome. In 1968 he moved to the United Nations Secretariat in New York, where he became Senior Legal Officer, then Chief of the International Trade Law Branch of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, and Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

Willem Vis served as Executive Secretary of the Vienna Diplomatic Conference that created the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). He helped craft the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. He was Representative of the Netherlands to the UN Commission on International Trade Law and served as Chair of its Working Group on International Payments.

Professor Vis served on the faculty of Pace University School of Law from 1980 until his death in 1993. At Pace, he continued to participate in the development of international commercial law, and was founding director of the Pace Institute of International Commercial Law.

Structure of the Competition

The Vis Moot consists of two parts: The preparation of two written memoranda in support of the claimant's and subsequently the respondent's position, and the oral hearings in Vienna.

Preparation of the Memoranda

The written phase of the Vis Moot commences on the first Friday in October when the Moot Problem, consisting of initial statements of claim and defence by the parties' attorneys as well as motions regarding procedural questions and exhibits, is distributed to the participating teams. According to an order by the Arbitral Tribunal both parties have to prepare a memorandum concerning factual and procedural issues.

First, the students are facing the challenge to slip into the role of the attorneys representing the claimant. The memorandum supporting the position of the claimant is due early in December. As the Moot proceeds, each team is sent a copy of the memorandum for claimant of one of the other teams in the Moot. The memorandum for respondent is prepared in response to the memorandum received, and is due in mid-February.

With the submission of the memorandum for respondent, the written phase of the Vis Moot is closed. Awards for the best memoranda in the Competition will not be presented to the teams before the last day of the oral arguments in Vienna. As opposed to other international mooting competition, there is no selection of the teams who can proceed to the oral arguments based on the quality of their memoranda - every team that is participating in the Vis Moot gets to go to Vienna.

Preparation for oral arguments

As popularity for the Vis Moot has continually grown, a number of schools now participate in sessions that provide Vis competitors the opportunity to practice the presentation of their argument, before ultimately traveling to Vienna for the actual Willem C. Vis Moot. In past years, law firms and universities throughout the United States and Europe have hosted pre-moots. Typical pre-moots will bring together anywhere between 4 to 12 schools to practice their arguments. The Dispute Resolution Society at Fordham University School of Law in New York City hosts an annual pre-moot. Fordham's 2008 pre-moot brought together 34 teams spanning universities from North America, South America, Asia and Europe - earning recognition as the largest Vis practice session in the world. In 2008, Practice Moots were also held in San Diego, California and Paris under the sponsorship of the University of San Diego and the ICC, respectively. Loyola hosts a pre-moot competition in Chicago.

The oral arguments in Vienna

The oral arguments take place in Vienna, Austria. They begin every year on the Saturday a week prior to Easter and close with the finals on Thursday of Easter week.

While the oral arguments proper start on Saturday morning, 8:30 a.m. (for those twenty-five or so teams who have caught the first "slot"), it is preceded by a welcoming event followed by a reception on the evening of Friday. Even earlier, on Thursday night, the Moot Alumni Association traditionally organizes its Welcoming Party for student participants, coaches and moot alumni.

The general rounds of the oral arguments take place at the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna (the Juridicum) and several near-by law offices on Saturday through Tuesday.

Elimination rounds among the highest ranking teams take place on Tuesday night, Wednesday and Thursday, culminating in the final argument. The Moot closes with an awards banquet following the final argument.

Changing times, changing venues

The different occasions during the oral phase of the Vienna Moot have not always been held at the venues they take place at today. As the Vis Moot grew over the years, the space needed grew with it, and required a number of venue changes from year to year:

The Opening reception, for example, was held at the UNCITRAL headquarters during the first three Moots (1994-96), and subsequently moved to the building of the old Vienna Stock Exchange (the "Börse"), the Ronacher Theatre (until 2005) and then the Konzerthaus (13th Moot, 2006). In 2007, the opening reception was held at the Stadthalle (the Konzerthaus was apparently already booked), but it returned to the Konzerthaus in 2008.

From the 1st until the 3rd Vis Moot (1994-96), the oral hearings proper were held at the International Arbitral Centre of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63 in Vienna's 4th district), thus taking place in the very rooms where ordinary arbitration hearings are held. Only from the 4th Moot (1997) onwards, the oral hearings took place at the Juridicum of the Faculty of Law, University of Vienna. Since the 11th Moot in 2004, some of the hearings are held at the nearby offices of the law firm Dorda, Brugger & Jordis and beginning with the 16th Moot in 2009 at the also nearby offices of the law firm DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach.

The location for the Finals remained at the Vienna International Arbitral Centre even longer; the last hearing of each year's Moot was held there from the 1st until the 6th Moot (1994-99). From the 7th until the 10th Moot (2000-03), the final hearing took place at the Festsaal of the Vienna City Hall (the Rathaus), and since the 11th Moot (2004) is has moved to the probably largest meeting room available in Vienna, at the Messe, where it is likely to remain.

The Awards Banquet following the Finals was held at the Piaristenkeller, a historic Viennese restaurant, during the 1st and 2nd Moots (1994-95), then at the Rathauskeller of the Vienna City Hall (at the 3rd Moot, 1996) and subsequently at the same building's Festsaal (4th until 10th Moot, 1997-2003). Since the 11th Moot (2004), it has been held at the Messe.

The Dachgeschoss

One location that has remained unchanged in its important role in the Moot (since the 4th Moot, when it was first used for Moot purposes) is the "Dachgeschoss". The term "Dachgeschoss" (German for "top floor"; literally "roof floor" (Dach = roof, Geschoss = floor)), which has become part of the international moot vocabulary, refers to the top floor (i.e. 7th floor) of the Juridicum in Vienna.

During the Moot week, it houses the Moot administration (where teams and arbitrators register, the arbitrators pick up and hand in their score sheets, and tickets for the awards banquet are available), the MAA (Moot Alumni Association) desk, displays by various sponsoring law publishers (often offering special "moot deals") and - maybe most importantly - chairs, tables and lounge areas for the participants and arbitrators to meet and linger.

The Dachgeschoss is where the hearing schedule for the day (listing the teams, the hearing room and the arbitrators) is posted every morning. During the elimination rounds, this is also the place where teams and arbitrators will gather after each round to learn with team will move on to the next round.

See also the social network: the Dachgeschoss

Moot problem

The arbitration clause in the contract, in the problem always provides that the dispute is to be decided by arbitration in "Vindobona, Danubia" under the institutional arbitration rules of one of the various arbitration institutions (like the ICC or the LCIA) which sponsors the moot.

Moot	Year	Arbitration Rules featured in the Moot Problem
1st	1994	UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
2nd	1995	UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
3rd	1996	International Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association
4th	1997	Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
5th	1998	UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
6th	1999	International Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association
7th	2000	Rules of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
8th	2001	Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
9th	2002	International Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association
10th	2003	Arbitration Rules of the German Institution of Arbitration (DIS)
11th	2004	Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
12th	2005	Swiss Rules of International Arbitration https://www.sccam.org/sa/en/rules.php
13th	2006	Arbitration Rules of the Chicago International Dispute Resolution Association (CIDRA)
14th	2007	Arbitration Rules of The Court of International Commercial Arbitration, Romania
15th	2008	JAMS International Arbitration Rules
16th	2009	Arbitration Rules of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce
17th	2010	Arbitration Rules of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration

Danubia is a fictional country, which has enacted the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration as well as the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York Convention), always featuring in moot problems as the seat of arbitration. "Vindobona" is surmised to be a reference to Vienna's old Latin nomenclature, when it was the last outpost of the Roman Empire.

Awards

Four Awards are annually given in Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot: The Pieter Sanders Award, the Werner Melis Award, the Martin Domke Award and the Frédéric Eisemann Award, the latter being awarded to the best prevailing team in the oral rounds (the "Winner of the Moot").

Pieter Sanders Award

The Pieter Sanders Award is given for the Best Memorandum on behalf of the Claimant.

During the first three Moots, the Pieter Sanders Award was given for the Best Written Memoranda in support of the positions of Claimant and Respondent. (Subsequently, the Werner Melis Award was introduced as a separate award for the memorandum in support of the Respondent.)

The Award has been named after Professor Pieter Sanders (*1913), who is widely regarded as the "father" of modern international commercial arbitration. He was one of the principal drafters of both the 1958 United Nations Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Award (the "New York Convention") and the 1976 UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. Professor Sanders was also founder of the Law Faculty of Erasmus University Rotterdam (where he taught up to his retirement in 1981) and co-founder of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) and the Netherlands Arbitration Institute. In the Second Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, held in Vienna in 1995, he served as one of the three arbitrators in the Finals.

Moot	Year	Winner of the Pieter Sanders Award
1st	1994	Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
2nd	1995	University of Basel
3rd	1996	University of Cologne
4th	1997	University of Copenhagen
5th	1998	University of Münster
6th	1999	University of Basel
7th	2000	Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg
8th	2001	Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
9th	2002	University of Queensland
10th	2003	University of Bonn
11th	2004	tie: Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg; University of Zurich
12th	2005	University of Copenhagen
13th	2006	tie: Columbia University; University of Munich
14th	2007	Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
15th	2008	University of California, Berkeley
16th	2009	University of Sydney

Werner Melis Award

The Werner Melis Award is given for the Best Written Memorandum for Respondent. Unlike the three other awards in the Competition, this award did not exist during the first three Moots (1994-1996), but was only introduced in 1997. (During the first three Moots, the Pieter Sanders Award was given for the Best Written Memoranda in support of the positions of Claimant and Respondent.)

The Award has been named after DDr. Werner Melis (* 1935), President of the International Arbitral Centre of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (Vienna), Honorary Vice-President of International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) and a long-time supporter of the Vis Arbitration Moot. The award is traditionally presented by Dr. Melis himself during the awards banquet concluding each Vienna Arbitration Moot.

Moot	Year	Winner of the Werner Melis Award
1st	1994	-
2nd	1995	-
3rd	1996	-
4th	1997	Deakin University
5th	1998	University of Münster
6th	1999	University of Basel
7th	2000	Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg
8th	2001	University of Zagreb
9th	2002	University of Mainz
10th	2003	University of Cologne
11th	2004	National University of Singapore
12th	2005	Humboldt University of Berlin
13th	2006	University of Munich
14th	2007	Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
15th	2008	University of Heidelberg
16th	2009	Stockholm University

Martin Domke Award

The Martin Domke Award is awarded to the Best Individual Oralist during the general rounds. This award for the general rounds of the Competition (i.e. the four oral hearings of each team on Saturday through Tuesday) will be won by the individual advocate with the highest average score during these rounds. To be eligible for this award a participant must have argued at least once for the claimant and once for the respondent.

The Award has been named after Martin Domke (1892-1980), Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University and a well-known scholar of international arbitration. Professor Domke was Vice President of the American Arbitration Association for 25 years and served as editor in chief of the Arbitration Journal. He also was the author of "Commercial Arbitration," published in 1965, and "The Law and Practice of Commercial Arbitration," published in 1968.

Moot	Year	Winner of the Martin Domke Award
1st	1994	Gregor Kirchhof, Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
2nd	1995	Chantal Niggemann, Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
3rd	1996	Kay-Jannes Wegner, University of Cologne
4th	1997	Camilla Andersen, University of Copenhagen
5th	1998	Biljana Dischlieva, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel
6th	1999	Carmen Klein, University of Cologne
7th	2000	Jan Stemplewitz, University of Münster
8th	2001	Trevor Stockinger, Loyola Law School of Los Angeles
9th	2002	tie: Marion Alice Jane Isobel, University of Queensland; Robina Kaye, University of Montpellier
10th	2003	tie: Andrew Molnar, Deakin University; Simun Soljo, University of New South Wales
11th	2004	Alexey Konovalov, Mari State University
12th	2005	tie: Charmaine Roberts, University of New South Wales; Anna-Maria Tamminen, University of Vienna
13th	2006	Sonu Dhanju, Osgoode Hall Law School
14th	2007	Steven Wayne Hopkins, Southern Methodist University
15th	2008	Lennart Beckhaus, University of Münster
16th	2009	Oliver Jones, The Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn

Frédéric Eisemann Award

The winner of the oral rounds at Vienna is awarded the Frédéric Eisemann Award for the best prevailing team in the oral rounds. It is the most prestigious award in the Competition (designating the "Winner of the Moot").

The Award has been named after Frédéric Eisemann, the highly respected former Secretary General of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Moot	Year	Winner of the Frédéric Eisemann Award
1st	1994	Columbia University
2nd	1995	Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
3rd	1996	Cornell University
4th	1997	University of Queensland
5th	1998	University of Münster
6th	1999	Deakin University
7th	2000	University of Queensland
8th	2001	Monash University
9th	2002	National University of Singapore
10th	2003	National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
11th	2004	Osgoode Hall Law School
12th	2005	Stetson University
13th	2006	Queen Mary, University of London
14th	2007	Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
15th	2008	Carlos III University (Madrid)
16th	2009	Victoria University of Wellington

Prestige

The Vis Arbitral Moot in Vienna is considered one of the most prestigious moot court competitions in the world. The above list of sponsoring organizations coupled with the fact that the foremost scholars in the field of international sales law and international arbitration come to Vienna to act as arbitrators and judge the various teams in different stages of the competition clearly establish the high standing of this competition in the academic world. In fact, this competition has been referred to as the olympics of zizi bouche trade law. It draws participation from many law schools from all over the world. In 2007 177 teams took part in the competition, whereas in 2008 even 204 teams participated. In 2009 the number of participating teams even increased to 233.

In most law schools, being selected as a team member is in itself a sign of excellence.

Cultural phenomenon

The Vis Moot's popularity has grown rapidly over the last decade of its existence. The moot gives an opportunity to law students to interact with law students from other countries and other cultures thereby equipping them with a multicultural approach which is undoubtedly an asset in international arbitrations as well as one of the aims of this competition. The other attraction of the competition are the parties that are organised by the Moot Alumni Association (MAA), which provide the students an opportunity to unwind after months of rigorous preparation for the moot. The MAA hosts a welcoming party a day before the Official Opening Reception as well as a farewell party a day before the finals and the awards banquet.

Even when there are no parties, participants go out to a bar to drink and meet other participants. The venue that has traditionally been considered to be the pub for the Moot was the Ma Pitom situated in the Bermudadreieck, the Bermuda triangle, as the Viennese call their pub and party district. During the 4th Vis Moot (held in 1997), it evolved into the central night-time meeting point for Moot participants, and was home to many a moot celebration. In August 2006, however, the owner of the Ma Pitom closed the bar and sold the place (it now hosts a restaurant called "Collina"), so an era of Moot partying had come to an end. The 14th Vis Moot 2007 subsequently saw a new venue, the Aux Gazelles in the Museumsquartier.

The backdrop of the beautiful city of Vienna also gives participating students the opportunity to explore the rich European history and famous sights of Vienna.

The audience during the opening ceremonies for the 13th Vis Moot 2006 was able to witness an unexpected cultural phenomenon when Professor Harry Flechtner, one of the leading U.S. scholars on the CISG, took the stage and performed two country-style songs specifically written for this purpose, the "CISG Song" and (as an encore) the "Mootie Blues". He repeated the successful performance during the 14th Vis Moot 2007 and the 15th Vis Moot 2008 (adding a song inspired by that year's Moot Problem, titled "The Ballad of Blue Hills 2005").

Some of the Mootie Blues' lyrics - notably "And since you hadn't had a date since stars first shone in the night above / That's when you realized that you're in the moot for love" - hint at a particular cultural phenomenon which has been part of the Vis Moot experience since the early years. The CISG's overall aim, as expressed in its preamble - "promoting friendly relations among States" - is often pursued on a personal level in Vienna and Hong Kong, resulting in a surprising number of friendly relations indeed between individuals participating in the Moot. And, despite the old Moot proverb "What happens in Vienna stays in Vienna", time has shown that quite often Vienna (or, more recently, Hong Kong) happens to be only the beginning: Over the years, numerous Moot participants have moved to a foreign country as a result of a friendly relationship that had been established during the Moot week, and even a quite impressive number of Moot-induced marriages have been celebrated (between participants from different teams, and also between participants and arbitrators). "Omnia vincit amor" ("love conquers all")!

Vis Moot (East), Hong Kong

Vis (East) Moot, Hong Kong

The Annual Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot is a sister moot to the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot.

About the Vis Moot (East)

The Vis Moot (East) annually takes place in Hong Kong. Its principal sponsor is the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (East Asia Branch). The Vis Moot (East) uses the same Problem and the rules are essentially the same as the Moot that takes place in Vienna. Nevertheless, they are two separate moots with separate registration, including registration fee, and separate winners - the Hong Kong Moot is not a regional elimination moot for the Vienna Moot. A law school can register for the Hong Kong Moot, the Vienna Moot or both. While the same students can be on both teams, a given student cannot argue in both the Hong Kong and the Vienna Moot in the same year.

The organization of the Vis Moot (East) lies in the hands of Louise Barrington, now a Professor of Law at King's College London, and Rosie Craig.

The local host of the Hong Kong Vis Moot initially was the City University of Hong Kong: the 1st-3rd Vis Moot (East) (2004-06) were held at City University's campus located in Kowloon Tong. The following two moots (4th and 5th Vis Moot (East), 2007 and 2008) were hosted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong at its campus in Central - a change welcomed by many, as this venue's locations seemed much better suited for the competition. For the 6th Vis Moot (East) 2008-09, however, the moot has moved back to City University of Hong Kong.

The Vis Moot (East) is much younger that the "original" Vis Moot in Vienna (while the Vis Moot was for the first time held in 1994, the 1st Vis Moot (East) only took place in 2004), and much smaller (in 2009, 228 teams from 57 countries participated in the 16th Vis Moot in Vienna, and 64 teams from 17 countries in the 6th Vis Moot (East) in Hong Kong). Both competitions grow every year.

Awards in the Vis Moot (East)

Eric Bergsten Award

The Eric Bergsten Award is given for the Best Claimant’s Memorandum.

Year	Winner of the Eric Bergsten Award
2004	University of Munich
2005	University of Houston Law Center
2006	University of Munich
2007	Fordham University School of Law
2008	Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
2009	Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg

Fali Nariman Award

The Fali Nariman Award is given for the Best Respondent’s Memorandum.

Year	Winner of the Fali Nariman Award
2004	Loyola University Chicago
2005	University of Munich
2006	University of Munich
2007	University of Victoria, British Columbia
2008	Hofstra University School of Law
2009	tied: Harvard University and Johann Gutenberg University Mainz

Neil Kaplan Award

The Neil Kaplan Award is given for the Best Oralist during the General Rounds.

Year	Winner of the Neil Kaplan Award
2004	Ipsita Dutta, National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
2005	Joanne Berenger, Deakin University
2006	Lily Lu, Loyola Law School Los Angeles
2007	Daniel J. Weiner, Fordham University School of Law
2008	Gautam Sood, Loyola Law School Los Angeles
2009	Frances Ma, Loyola Law School Los Angeles

David Hunter Award

The David Hunter Award is bestowed on the Law School Team Prevailing in the Oral Arguments (the "Winner of the Moot").

Year	Winner of the David Hunter Award
2004	Tsinghua University
2005	National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
2006	Loyola Law School Los Angeles
2007	Pepperdine University School of Law
2008	Griffith University
2009	Loyola Law School Los Angeles

Upcoming moot

The 7th Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot will be held in Hong Kong on 15–21 March 2010.

Subsequently, the 17th Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot will be held in Vienna on 26 March–1 April 2010.

Moot Alumni Association (MAA)

The Moot Alumni Association (MAA) is the alumni association of both the Willem C. Vis Moot International Commercial Arbitration Moot (the Vienna Moot) and the Willem C. Vis Moot (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot (the Hong Kong Moot). It was founded in 1996 in the aftermath of the 3rd Willem C. Vis Moot, and is a non-profit association registered under Austrian law with its seat in Vienna.

With a 650-strong membership, the MAA is composed of students as well as distinguished academics and practitioners, and internationally renowned arbitrators and practitioners. The MAA's projects include the publication of the Vindobona Journal of International Commercial Law and Arbitration, facilitating internships and employment related to these areas of law, a case translation program and collaboration with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the Institute of International Commercial Law, Pace Law School.

The MAA's activities during the Willem C. Vis Moots include sponsoring and organising social events for Vis Moot participants, as notably the MAA Welcome Party on the night before the Opening Receptions of the Vienna and the Hong Kong Moots.

On the more serious side, the MAA regularly organises specialised conferences during the Vienna Moot, such as “The Challenging World of Arbitration” (2001) in cooperation with ICCA and “Becoming e-legal” (2002) in cooperation with VIAC, and the annual “Generations in Arbitration.”

On 2 April 2009, immediately preceding the 16th Willem C. Vis Moot, the MAA held a conference titled "Issues on the CISG Horizon - Conference in Honour of Peter Schlechtriem" in Vienna.

Further reading

• Eric E. Bergsten, "Teaching about International Commercial Arbitration ...", 18 Journal of International Arbitration (August 2001) 481-486
• Hew R. Dundas, "The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot", Stockholm International Arbitration Review (2008:1) 155-169
• Daniel Girsberger, "Internationale Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit: Ausbildung durch Moot Courts", in: Greiner / Berger / Güngerich (eds.), Festschrift für Franz Kellerhals zum 65. Geburtstag, Stämpfli Verlag AG Bern (2005), p. 23-33
• Jack M. Graves & Stephanie A. Vaughan, "The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot: Making the Most of an Extraordinary Educational Opportunity", 10 Vindobona Journal of International Commercial Law and Arbitration (2/2006) 173-206
• Mark R. Shulman, "Moot Court in Global Language of Trade", New York Law Journal 2 April 2007
• Jeff Waincymer, "International and Comparative Legal Education through the William C. Vis Moot Program: A Personal Reflection", 5 Vindobona Journal of International Commercial Law and Arbitration (2001) 251-283
• Janet Walker (ed.), The Vis Book - A Participant's Guide to the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, Juris Publishing (2008), 190 pp.

See also

• Moot Alumni Association (MAA), the Alumni Association of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
• Generations in Arbitration
• The Vindobona Journal of International Commercial Law and Arbitration
• The CISG Song
• The Mootie Blues - a song about competing in the Vis Moot. Read the lyrics and hear the song performe by its composer, Professor Harry Flechtner.

External links

• Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, Vienna Official Website
• The Annual Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot
• Alumni Association of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
• The VIS Net
• The Dachgeschoss - the free social community of mooties and arbitrators