The 8th edition of the competition was held in Paris and its aim was to increase law students' awareness of mediation as an alternative method of dispute settlement between tradesmen from various countries and cultural areas.

The language of the competition was English. Students participated in 85 minute mediation moots, during which they impersonated claimants, responders, and counsels of the conflicted parties and with the help of a professional mediator they tried to work out the best solution.

"The following elements of particular presentations were assessed: conciseness, acting in the  interests of the represented party, taking action to understand the needs of other parties to the dispute, proper application of the mediator's assistance," says Dr Małgorzata Kożuch from the Chair in European Law, the team's coach.

The JU team consisting of Marta Warchoł, Karolina Jackowicz, Tomasz Marek and Jakub Bielamowicz outdid students from USA, Switzerland, Hong-Kong, Germany and New Zealand.

"The judges evaluating our final tournament expressed their surprise at the fact that the representatives of a country, in which mediation is a new legal tool and English is a foreign language, did so well in a tournament in which every word, every contention and every interest was of great importance," said Jakub Bielamowicz.  

The winners will be offered the opportunity to improve their mediation skills in the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris or the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London.