Already for the 14th time we had the pleasure to host the Hannover PreMoot from 27th to 29th February 2020 in preparation for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. For 3 days the Conti-Campus of the Leibniz University Hannover changed to a networking platform. 33 teams from 14 different countries followed the invitation of the Institute for Procedural Law and Attorney Regulations (IPA) this year.
The Hannover PreMoot offers law students of various universities from all over the globe the opportunity to prove and practice their negotiating skills for the final rounds of the competition. The students take on the challenge of being an attorney and represent the claimants and respondents of the moot case, which deals with international arbitration and the CISG (international sales law). During the PreMoot, each team has six pleadings in front of a tribunal consisting of law professors, practitioners, coaches and former Vis Moot participants.
Traditionally, the Hannover PreMoot started with our international conference called Hannover Dispute Resolution Day. Dr. Sven Hasenstab from Brandi Rechtsanwälte guided the participants through the event as moderator. Lectures were given on topics relating to this years’ moot case. As outstanding speakers for the conference we managed to bring together: Dr. Dirk Wiegandt from Hanefeld Rechtsanwälte, who gave an introduction on the applicable arbitration rules, namely the LCIA Rules. After Wolfgang Junge from Schellenberg Wittmer addressed the topic on how to get rid of an expert in an arbitral proceeding, Dr. Tilman Niedermaier from CMS spoke about the equal footing principle and asymmetrical arbitration clauses. Subsequently, Dr. Joseph Schwartz from Wagner Arbitration answered the question on “How to moot?”. Professor Dr. Kristina Siig from the University of Southern Denmark then took us on a journey into her childhood and illustrated the suspicion of non-conformity based on her childhood heroes. Finally, Martin Riedel from Wenner Rechtsanwälte held a presentation about the enforcement and set aside procedures.
The 2nd Hannover Dispute Resolution Day came to an end at the “Welcome Event”, where the teams and arbitrators were able to mix and mingle in a more informal way.
In the following 2 days arguments were exchanged spread over 13 pleading rooms and 8 pleading rounds with the friendly support of about 100 arbitrators. During the entire PreMoot all of the participants could relax and prepare themselves in our “Dachgeschoss”, the 14th floor of the Conti-building. There, Rainer Eckert and his team once again set up a Eckert Rechtsanwälte Mootie-Coffee-Lounge where everyone was welcomed for a good cup of coffee and a lovely chat.
On Friday evening after a long day of exciting pleadings, the highlight followed: the barbecue dinner. In the Hannoverian Moot Bar “Hanomacke”, teams, coaches and arbitrators not only enjoyed a relaxed chatty evening, but also tried and got to know how to drink the Hannoverian specialty “Lüttje Lage” at the Eckert Lüttje Lage booth and danced into the night.
With many alumni, professors and practitioners who act as arbitrators, the Hannover PreMoot became one of the biggest prep meetings in Europe and the biggest one in Germany. We want to thank all of you for this. We hope to see you again next year at the 15th Hannover PreMoot, which will presumably take place from 18th to 20th February 2020.
Finally, we have been struggling hard with ourselves whether the PreMoot can be held due to the Coronavirus outbreak. In the end, it was possible to conduct it with high hygiene requirements. 2 weeks later the All Munich Rounds could not take place anymore. After the Vis East, now also the Vis Moot will only be preformed virtually. For many teams the Hannover PreMoot has probably been the last PreMoot at which they experienced the international atmosphere of the Moot and made friends with other teams from Germany as well as different countries and even continents. We would have liked the Hannover PreMoot to be just a foretaste of what the teams could expect in Hong Kong and Vienna. In these very serious and difficult times, all that remains is to wish good luck to all the teams participating in the virtual moot courts. Your commitment in the last months was admirable. Your high standard has been once again shown at our PreMoot. Stay healthy and take care!
Written by Karolina Mieszaniec and CW.
Picture Gallery
Find some pictures from the event here.
Further information
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