Law School Moot Court Team Places in Top Four in International Competition

International environmental law moot court team finishes amongst the top teams from around the world for third straight year

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Nov 26, 2003

The University of Hawaiʻi‘s William S. Richardson School of Law‘s International Environmental Law Moot Court team recently placed among the top four teams in the world at the International Environmental Law Moot Court Competition at Stetson University in Florida. This is the third year in a row the School of Law‘s team has finished among the top four teams in the competition.

The law student team members—Ranae Doser, Chris Terry, and team captain Josh Medeiros—successfully competed against a field of over 40 law schools from the United States, India, Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and Canada to advance to the semi-final round. In the preliminary rounds, the team prevailed against Pepperdine University, University of Maryland, and teams from Australia and New Zealand.

The competition gave students the opportunity to explore issues of international environmental law in a mock dispute before the International Court of Justice. The team gave oral arguments on a dispute between two fictional countries over driftnet fishing on the high seas. The team‘s written brief was judged 9th best in the competition.

This was only the fourth time the UH School of Law has sent a team to the International Environmental Law Moot Court competition. Last year, the team placed first in the nation and second overall in the competition.

Dedicated to participating in the competition this year, the team raised most of the funds themselves to pay for their travel to Florida. Funding for the team‘s travel and participation was also provided by the University of Hawaiʻi Graduate Student Organization and the School of Law‘s Student Bar Association and Environmental Law Program.

"We were a little nervous at first, but once again the University of Hawaiʻi has made its mark at this competition," said team captain Josh Medeiros, a third-year law student.

Chris Terry, a second-year law student, added, "We worked hard to prepare for the oral arguments, but the guidance from local lawyers and professors who judged our practice arguments was invaluable. It‘s been a very rewarding experience."

"The team‘s continued success and outstanding performance is a proud achievement and a tribute to the students, the Environmental Law Program, and to the entire law school community," said team advisor Doug Codiga, an adjunct professor who teaches International Environmental Law at the School of Law.

The William S. Richardson School of Law first opened its doors in 1973, and has since become the premier law school of the Pacific. The school‘s Environmental Law Program has consistently ranked among the finest in the nation. It has a strong relationship with the Hawaiʻi legal community and has also forged new and expanded relationships within the Asia-Pacific region.