Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court – Trial Runs 2026 at Prager Dreifuss
On 3 and 4 March 2026, Prager Dreifuss once again hosted its traditional Moot Court Trial Runs in preparation for this year’s international Willem C. Vis Moot Court competitions in Vienna and Hong Kong.
Continuing a long-standing tradition, the firm welcomed four university teams—two per evening—to test their advocacy skills before an arbitral tribunal composed of the Prager Dreifuss attorneys Gion Jegher and Bernhard Lauterburg and chaired by Marcel Frey and an enthusiastic audience of colleagues, alumni, and guests. The event offered the students an ideal opportunity to experience real-world advocacy in a professional arbitration setting.
Trial Run on 3 March 2026
The first evening brought together the teams from the Universities of Bern and Zurich in a spirited arbitration hearing. Their case involved the international trade of the rare and coveted Vanilla Orchid—a plant both treasured for its cosmetic and nutritional properties and now threatened with extinction.
The University of Bern represented the Claimant, Orchis Worldwide Ltd., seeking USD 3.3 million in damages from the Respondent, Darwin Natural Foods plc., represented by the University of Zurich. The central issue concerned whether the Respondent was excused from payment after the Vanilla Orchid was reclassified under CITES Appendix I, effectively prohibiting its commercial trade.
Several procedural questions intensified the debate, including which version of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Rules applied and whether the Claimant’s litigation funding arrangements should be disclosed. Ms. Ilayda Memis (Bern) and Ms. Melanie Järmann (Zurich) delivered well-structured arguments on these procedural points, while Ms. Leila Suter (Zurich) and Mr. Antoine Vermeulen (Bern) impressed the tribunal with their lively exchange on the merits of the claim.
After providing detailed feedback, the tribunal commended both teams for their strong presentations and analytical depth. The evening concluded with informal conversations over aperitifs, giving participants and hosts the chance to exchange experiences and toast the continued success of all teams.
Trial Run on 4 March 2026
The following evening, the teams from the Universities of St. Gallen and Basel took to the stage. St. Gallen represented the Respondent, Darwin Natural Foods plc., while Basel acted for the Claimant, Orchis Worldwide Ltd.
Mr Benjamin Bratschi (St. Gallen) opened with a powerful argument on the applicable arbitration rules and the disclosure of third-party funding, while Ms. Kim Resech (Basel) offered a poised rebuttal on behalf of the Claimant, opposing both the use of the 2025 SIAC Rules and disclosure of financing arrangements.
On the substantive issues, Mr. Robin Sambou (Basel) set out a well-versed argument in calm and measured manner that the Respondent could not rely on external government restrictions to avoid payment, maintaining that his client was entitled to damages of USD 3.3 million. Ms. Seraina Rorbach (St. Gallen) rounded off the proceedings with a clear and persuasive argument defending her client’s position under unforeseen circumstances and questioned the Claimant’s damages calculation.
Once again, the tribunal praised the students for their preparation, teamwork, and advocacy skills. The evening drew to a close with light refreshments and engaging exchanges between students and Prager Dreifuss professionals—an inspiring wrap-up to two evenings of impressively skillful argumentation and collegial discussion.