The Jessup Competition was conceived at Harvard Law School in 1960 to provide students with a courtroom simulation experience grounded in international law. Professor Steven M. Schwebel, who would later serve as President of the International Court of Justice, authored the first Jessup Competition problem, the “Cuban Agrarian Reform” case. Over 50 years later, the Jessup is now administered by the
International Law Students Association (“ILSA”), a sister organization of the American Society of International Law. Each year, over 600 schools from more than 80 jurisdictions participate in the Jessup Competition, representing more than 2,000 students worldwide. The Jessup is a professional training experience that teaches practical skills in research, writing, and advocacy. The Competition simulates a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. A Compromis stipulating the facts of the case is released each September. Students spend most of the academic year researching, composing, and practicing arguments based on the legal issues the case presents. Each team of up to five students writes two briefs, one for each State party to the dispute, and presents oral arguments before panels of volunteer attorneys acting as International Court of Justice judges. The Jessup experience instills students with a valuable advantage in the global marketplace by exposing them to complex, timely issues of international concern. Moreover, students develop strong teamwork, legal research, and oral and written advocacy skills by representing both sides of the case in a rigorous, competitive environment. Many alumni refer to the Jessup as their most challenging and rewarding law school experience. These students go on to lead successful careers in government service and the world’s finest law firms, multinational corporations, universities, and international organizations. The Jessup Competition is divided into two levels: Qualifying and International Rounds. At both levels, teams compete in head-to-head matches and advance based on the quality of their oral arguments and written pleadings. Qualifying Competitions are held in countries where two or more schools compete. As the number of participating schools continues to rise, so do the size and impact of the Qualifying Tournaments. Most importantly, the Jessup aims to build lasting student-attorney networks in each country that hosts a Qualifying Competition, thereby furthering the study and practice of international law at a local level. Winning national teams go on to attend the White & Case International Rounds, a week-long cultural and educational event held every spring in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Society of International Law. Participants have the opportunity to meet and compete against students from all over the world and to argue their case before leading practitioners and scholars of international law. It has become a tradition for Judges at the International Court of Justice to preside over the White & Case World Championship Round, and for the last two years, three currently sitting ICJ judges have presided over the Championship Round. The International Rounds are for many a life-changing experience. The friendships and professional connections forged at the Qualifying and International Rounds endure for years to come.
