When the world's most prestigious trade law moot concluded in mid-June of this year, four Queen's Law students were in it right to the very last round.

More than 200 students and trade law experts from around the world were part of the WTO trade-dispute simulation; a mooting process that started with regionals around the world and culminated in a five-day event in Geneva, the heart of global trade. 

Team members Nathan Ische, Brandon Chung, Devon Luca and Cameron Rempel, and coach Rambod Behboodi, acquitted themselves admirably in the moot, impressing both judges and attendees. They came second in the final round of the competition to their colleagues from the Americas round, from Columbia's Pontifica Universidad Javeriana, presenting oral submissions to an audience legal experts at the WTO.  

“This is an astonishing success for Queen’s. The team delivered an amazing performance in the Grand Final. It is safe to say that every one of the team members now has the opportunity of a career in international trade law should they wish to pursue it,” said Nicolas Lamp, a professor at Queen's, former WTO lawyer, and organizer of the Americas round of the 2016 ELSA moot – hosted at Queen's this year, and the source of both finalist teams.

"The Queen's team this year set a new standard of excellence, not just in terms of its successes in the rankings (and these were striking), but also because in an international moot, the Queen's team exemplified Canadian values throughout the regional and final rounds.  At once very well-informed substantively and relaxed in presentation, the team combined good humour and strong argumentation to superlative effect," said team coach Rambod Behboodi. "The best line of the Grand Final, 'Because it's the right thing to do', was delivered impromptu by Queen's; it brought down the house and became the theme of the rest of the day and the celebrations."

"The standard of competition has been very high... I congratulate all of the teams on their accomplishments, welcome them to the world of WTO law, and look forward to seeing many of them in the corridors of the WTO in the years to come," said Director-General of the World Trade Organization WTO OMC, Roberto Azevêdo, following the moot's conclusion.

The Queen's Law mooting program is noted among Canadian universities for its breadth and level of engagement among students; Queen's Law is represented at almost all of Canada's national moots.

WTO DG congratulates the 14th ELSA Moot Court Competition winners.