A team of three Juris Doctor (JD) students from  the College of Law recently won the Courts of Space Moot Court 2024. Jointly organized by the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts and Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), the competition challenged students as advocates in a hypothetical problem involving space travel. 

The College of  Law’s team comprised first year JD student, Shireen Ahmed, and second year JD students, Kareem Khazaal and Cristina Al Thalathini. Demonstrating outstanding advocacy and other professional legal skills, the  team rose to the top of a roster consisting of 15 teams from different countries.  The semi-final and final rounds were held at the DIFC before a distinguished panel of judges. Ahead of the competition, the students were coached by Professor Hilary Bell, Assistant Professor, College of Law, who teaches dispute resolution, construction law, and legal skills courses.

Commenting on the significance of the competition, Professor Bell observed: “The College of Law focuses on  providing  students with experiential learning opportunities, preparing our graduates to be leaders, not just lawyers. Taking part in live simulation of legal processes enables students to develop their professional skills including how to learn from mistakes in real time, how to collaborate, how to apply their legal knowledge, and how to control their emotions under pressure. For these reasons, participating in a moot court is the single-best legal educational experience available to prepare future lawyers. Our  students are developing a track record of success in international competitions, showcasing the exceptional legal skills training they receive at the College.”

The College of Law’s JD curriculum, created through a strategic partnership with Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, equips graduates with a high-level of vocational legal skills including writing, negotiating and advocacy skills. The focus on skills training generates world class law graduates able to take up a range of career options.