For the first time in more than thirty years, a Law School team has qualified for the international rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, one of the largest and most competitive moot court contests in the world.
The five-member team—Anna Schmitt, Sahar Omer, David Clifton, Daniela Apodaca, and Letian Wang, all 3Ls students—secured their place in the international rounds after advancing to the quarterfinals of the US West Regional competition. Along the way, they won all four preliminary rounds and received individual recognition, including Schmitt being ranked the fifth-best oralist among more than 200 competitors.
The team will travel to Washington, DC, at the end of March to compete against top teams from around the world. The Jessup international rounds are judged by a panel that includes international law practitioners, scholars, and diplomats.
“This is a significant accomplishment for the team and for the Law School,” said Talin Hitik, a Lecturer in Law who serves as faculty advisor and coach. “It reflects the students’ hard work and also highlights the value of giving students the chance to study and practice international law at this level.”
A For-Credit Course
The last time a team from the Law School advanced to the international rounds was in 1992, according to the International Law Students Association, which organizes the competition. With about 700 law schools from 100 countries participating in the competition, the Law School making the international rounds is an impressive feat.
Hitik said that the Law School’s recent move to make Jessup a for-credit course likely contributed to this year’s success. Unlike many schools where Jessup is an extracurricular activity, UChicago Law students enrolled in a three-credit seminar in the fall, focused on foundational international law topics and issues drawn from this year’s competition problem. Students also earned an additional credit in winter quarter for cocurricular work, including drafting written submissions known as “memorials” and preparing for oral arguments.
“This is a complex competition, and students need the time and institutional support to do well,” Hitik said. “The Law School’s decision to create a credit-bearing course allowed them to commit fully.”
Although this is Hitik’s first year leading the Jessup course at UChicago Law, she previously advised teams at the University of Michigan. Her background also includes experience at the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Hague Conference on Private International Law, as well as teaching and litigating international law issues in Armenia. She competed in Jessup herself as a student, reaching the international rounds in 2008.
Preparing for Competition
The team divided responsibilities similar to how real cases are presented before the International Court of Justice, the fictional setting of the Jessup problem. Omer and Clifton argued as applicants, while Schmitt and Apodaca argued as respondents. Wang served as “of counsel,” handling research and helping with responses to judges’ questions during rounds.
Reflecting on the experience, Apodaca said the format gave students a rare opportunity to engage in both sides of complex legal issues.
“Our Jessup team comprises two people who argue on behalf of the applicant, two people who argue on behalf of the respondent, and our trusty of counsel, Letian [Wang], who knows the law for all of the issues,” she said. “We each always have two other people with equal substantive knowledge of our issues on whom to test ideas. Some of our best arguments have come after exhaustively debating one another.”
Schmitt also found working together as a team to be a key part of the experience. “During our moot practices, we competed against each other each week and thus helped the other build their case. Seeing our progress in action while competing against other schools during the competition was so much fun. Aside from participating in a clinic, this has been the most team-oriented activity I’ve participated in at the Law School. It has been great to watch each other grow.”
Standing Out at Regionals
Daniela Apodaca, ’25, Letian Wang, ’25, and Anna Schmitt, ’25 ready to make their argument.
In the US West Regional, held in Portland, Oregon, the team won all four of its preliminary rounds—two as applicants and two as respondents—placing them among the top-seeded teams heading into the elimination rounds.
The team went on to win their octofinal round against California Western School of Law before being narrowly defeated in the quarterfinals by Arizona State University. By reaching the quarterfinals, UChicago Law was one of eight teams from the West Region to qualify for the international rounds.
“I’ve never done an academic competition before, so I was surprised to find that the level of pressure and competitiveness was equal to that of my competitive tennis days,” Apodaca said of the experience. “It was fun to get in the competitive spirit, receive pep talks, and celebrate when our team won rounds.”
For Omer, the regional rounds have been the highlight of her Jessup participation so far.
“It was where I really realized how far I had come in the last six months in terms of learning the law and becoming an oral advocate,” she explained. “There is something very rewarding about being able to speak confidently for twenty-two minutes on a subject that you’ve studied, and I felt that confidence for the first time standing in front of the podiums in Portland.”
Next Stop: International Rounds
The team is now preparing for the international rounds, which will be held March 29 to April 6 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The event will bring together top teams from national competitions held around the world, with more than 100 schools expected to compete.
Hitik said the international rounds present a new set of challenges, including arguing in front of judges from various legal traditions and backgrounds.
“One thing that will be different is adjusting to an international panel,” she said. “Students will have to be mindful of language, pace, and assumptions about how law is argued and interpreted—especially in front of judges who don’t come from common law systems.”
She added that many judges are practitioners and scholars involved in international courts and tribunals, offering students a rare opportunity to engage directly with people working in the field.
Clifton said he is delighted that the team will have the opportunity to compete in the international rounds. “This is the world’s largest moot-court competition, and I’m incredibly excited to meet fellow students from some 100-plus countries around the world.”
A Formative Experience
For the students, Jessup has been a defining part of their law school experience, offering practical training in international law advocacy.
“Without a doubt, participating in the Jessup has set me up with an excellent foundation for launching my career as an advocate in international law,” Apodaca said. “Even though it’s a simulation, this level of substantive practice is the kind that some lawyers don’t get until far into their careers. Getting so much practice in oral argument has been hugely beneficial from a career perspective.”
In addition to sharpening advocacy skills, Apodaca said researching and writing on complex international issues—such as sovereignty disputes and maritime law—gave her exposure to a wide range of roles in the field.
“Through the hundreds of sources I have read—decisions from the International Court of Justice, tribunal rulings, UN Special Rapporteur reports—I have come to see the breadth of roles available for international lawyers,” she said.
Wang said his role as “of counsel,” which is a support position in nature, was a valuable learning experience for him. “While I don’t stand at the podium myself, I need to listen attentively to our opposing agents’ presentation, spot their weak points, and help my teammate deliver an effective rebuttal. I was happy whenever my efforts paid off!”
Wang also said that the Jessup competition helped him develop good project management skills. “When you execute long term projects like this, you need good planning, but flexibility is also important. Professor Hitik showed us how to balance between them, and this skill will be crucial in my future legal work.”
Clifton said Jessup has been one of the most enriching intellectual experiences of his time at the Law School. “It has given me the opportunity to gain a much deeper knowledge of several fascinating areas of international law than I was able to gain in most courses. It has allowed me to take ownership of my education in a way that makes the resulting mastery feel especially rewarding.”
Schmitt agreed. “This has been one of the few experiences in law school where I’ve received constant feedback, especially regarding oral advocacy,” she said. “Substantively, I’ve learned so much about public international law. From ongoing gaps in the law to emerging developments in the middle of preparing for the competition, it has been extremely interesting and enlightening to take a deep dive into public international law.”
Looking Ahead
Although this is the first year UChicago Law has offered Jessup as a credit-bearing course, Hitik hopes it becomes a permanent part of the curriculum.
“I would love to see this continue,” she said. “What these students accomplished this year shows what’s possible when they’re given the right structure and support.”
Apodaca echoed that sentiment. “I hope UChicago will remain invested in the Jessup for years to come,” she said. “The experience has contributed so much to my learning, and I want future students to be able to say the same.”
Whatever happens in this year’s international rounds, Wang is optimistic about what the future holds for UChicago’s involvement with Jessup. “As long as the school and its students continue devoting time, energy and resources to this competition, I am sure one day UChicago’s team will bring the Jessup Cup home.”
Original source can be found here.