Vis Moot Court — The second Trial Run at Prager Dreifuss in 2025
Thursday: Bern vs. Zurich – Who will prevail before the tribunal and with the evidence?
The second round of the Moot Court Trial Runs at Prager Dreifuss sees the team of the University of Zurich (respondent) face off against the representatives of the University of Bern (claimant). At the heart of the dispute lies a green energy project in turbulent political times.
Fabio Arnold opens proceedings with a forceful presentation of his client's stance on the issues the jurisdiction and the requirement of mediation and the admissibility of certain pieces of evidence (procedural issues) while his team mate Julita Piróg sets out the respondent's position on the applicability of the CISG for mixed contracts (material issues). The team of Bern remains unfazed: futile mediation entitles the claimant to forego pre-arbitration steps. Debora Lehmann also counters with her client's stance on the admissibility of evidence (procedural issues) and Jana Haller lucidly argues that the CISG must be applied (material issues).
Once again, the arbitral tribunal made up of Marcel Frey (presiding), Gion Jegher, and Bernhard Lauterburg faces the challenge of assessing both the arguments and the performance of the teams. And today’s showing is impressive: well-structured pleadings, sharp responses to tough questions, and the right amount of fighting spirit. After the individual feed-backs the students walk away with valuable real-world insights.