(Jamaica Observer) The Norman Manley Law School beat more than 30 other law schools from across the world last Friday when the institution won the Frankfurt International Investment Law Mooting Competition in Germany.
In achieving victory, the Norman Manley Law School also won the titles of Best Team from Latin America, and Best non-OECD team.
The team, comprising Caprice McFarlane, Shantez Stewart, Kenyatta Powell, Munroe Wisdom and Mark Hope, participated in the contest between last week Tuesday and Friday. The team beat the University of Versailles, France, in the final.
Teams in the competition, sometimes described as the “Rolls-Royce” of Moots, came from the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, among other countries.
The Norman Manley team was accompanied to Frankfurt by Tania Mott attorney-at-law and tutor at the school.
Principal of the Law School, Professor Stephen Vasciannie was delighted by the team’s victory.
“I am very pleased that the law school’s team has shown, once again, that we can take on the rest of the world,” Vasciannie said.
“This competition saw us challenging more than 30 other teams and emerging unscathed. These students are outstanding ambassadors for the Caribbean, and talented exemplars of the positive aspects of legal education in the region. As to standards, I think our record speaks loudly even to the most sceptical,” said Prof Vasciannie, who is expected to leave the law school within weeks to take up a diplomatic appointment in the United States.
Last year, the Norman Manley Law School placed among the top four schools in the Frankfurt Investment Moot and took an award for the Best non-OECD Team, on the team’s first attempt at the title.
In the present academic year, the law school also captured the World Human Rights Moot Court Competition, successfully defending the school’s title in Pretoria, South Africa.
“We are a small law school, with resource limitations, but our students are determined to be among the best in the world. A principal could ask for no more. I thank all those who have assisted in guiding the team, including Ms Tania Mott, who accompanied the students to Frankfurt, and senior tutor emerita Dorcas White, who has been an experienced and perceptive guide,” said Vasciannie.
