Jessup Sees Record Number of Participating Teams in 2024

Global law firm White & Case LLP announced that 674 teams representing 100 jurisdictions are registered to participate in the 2024 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. In a record-breaking year for Jessup, the 2024 competition has the most-ever teams participating from more jurisdictions than ever before.

Now in its 65th year, Jessup is the world’s largest and oldest international moot court competition. A record-setting 64 national and regional rounds will take place around the world through March, leading up to the White & Case International Rounds in Washington, DC this April. Many of the local competitions are experiencing all-time-high participation. For example, in China, 73 teams have registered, making it the largest national round in history. Egypt and Mexico are also expecting record-setting team numbers. This year’s competition also includes teams representing Brunei, Niger and South Sudan for the first time.

Melissa Butler, London partner and Chair of the Global Citizenship Committee, said, “It is especially rewarding to see the number of students participating in Jessup increase around the world this year, particularly given the legal issues raised by ongoing global conflicts that have far-reaching consequences. The growing participation in Jessup, which provides a forum for young professionals to collaborate and engage with real-world scenarios in an international competition, is recognition of the unique opportunity and legal training that Jessup provides.”

The competition, administered by the International Law Students Association (ILSA), requires students to present oral and written arguments on a hypothetical international law case before a simulated International Court of Justice (ICJ). This year’s case concerns traitors and crooks, the right to political expression, statelessness, the right to a nationality and the scope of the UN Security Council’s authority in the pacific settlement of disputes.

Winning teams from national and regional rounds will represent their respective jurisdictions in April 2024 at the White & Case International Rounds in Washington, DC, where they will vie for the competition’s top prize: the Jessup World Cup. Teams competing in the final round will argue before sitting ICJ judges providing a wholly unique and rare experience for law students.

White & Case has been a Global Partner of Jessup since 2007 and sponsor of the White & Case International Rounds since 2010. More than 150 Firm lawyers and staff support the Jessup competition annually by serving as judges on oral rounds, marking memorials or legal briefs, hosting competitions, developing Jessup marketing materials and more.

This year, the Firm is also sponsoring 15 qualifying rounds, listed below:

• Belgium: February 17 – 18
• Brazil: January 24 – 27
• Canada: February 22 – 24
• Central Asia Friendly: February 15 – 17
• China: February 17 – 20
• Egypt: February 23 – 24 
• France: February 22 – 24
• Georgia: February 3 – 4
• Hong Kong: February 17 – 18 
• Japan: February 16 – 18
• Mexico: February 26 – March 1 
• Poland: February 8 – 10
• South Africa: February 1 – 4
• Türkiye: February 17 – 18
• UK: February 16 – 18

The White & Case Jessup International Rounds will take place between March 30 and April 6 in Washington, DC.

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