Norman Manley Law School students cop second place in prestigious international competition
Published:Tuesday | April 18, 2017 | 3:58 PM
Jamaica's image on the international stage received a boost recently, as a team of students from the Norman Manley Law School recently placed second at the prestigious Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition, which was held in Washington, DC, United States.
Representing the institution were Jhade Lindsay, Victor Brown, Anna-Kay Brown, Scott Mullings and Kalisia Miller. They were coached by attorney-at-law Marc Ramsay.
The quintet also copped a number of other awards, including a second-place finish in the championship, third overall for written memorials, and first place in the applicant side, written memorials.
Mullings was ranked the second-best speaker in the world, with Miller ranked fifth.
"It is a fantastic achievement, not purely for Norman Manley Law School, but for education in Jamaica," said Ramsay, in his third year as coach.
This is the ninth year that Jamaican law students have entered the prestigious mock court competition. Their next highest finish was a semi-final appearance in 2011.
FORCE AT MOOTING
"We have been a force at mooting for some time now and again we proved our status as one of the best. These young people worked tirelessly to reach this stage, and I am extremely proud of them," Ramsay told The Gleaner.
In terms of international law moot courts, the Philip C. Jessup Moot Court has the widest global coverage, with 640 law schools from 95 countries participating.
At the two-week stage of the competition in Washington that ended on April 15, one hundred and forty-three law schools participated.
To reach the final, Norman Manley Law School had to win eight consecutive debates, sometimes debating twice in a day.
The moot covered several areas of international law, including the use of transboundary aquifers, the protection of cultural heritage, the human right to water and food, and the question of a host state's right to compensation for refugees.
The team will be meeting with Minister of Education Ruel Reid today.