Panama took part in the international rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition 2026 (“Jessup”), held in Washington D.C. — one of the most prestigious academic events in the field of international law worldwide.
The Panamanian team, composed of Mia Michelle Cornejo de Gracia, Leandro Jaffe Ferreira, Andrea Itzel Lee, and Samuel Humberto Perez Morales, represented the country in this competition, which annually brings together universities from more than 100 countries and jurisdictions, competing against teams from different regions of the world in a highly competitive environment.
The competition is structured around the simulation of a dispute between States before the International Court of Justice — the principal judicial organ of the United Nations — in which participants present oral and written arguments on complex issues of public international law.
Since its founding in 1960, Jessup has established itself as the largest moot court competition in the world, with the participation of hundreds of law schools globally, becoming a key platform for training future legal professionals with an international outlook.
Panama’s participation in this competition has remained consistent over the years, reflecting students’ interest in engaging with this high-level academic forum and projecting their professional development onto international legal stages.
LOVILL, the law firm serving as the national administrator of Jessup in Panama, drives student participation at the university level and promotes the development of this initiative throughout the country.
Beyond the competition itself, Jessup represents a high-level academic experience that fosters the development of essential skills such as legal argumentation, critical analysis, and oral advocacy in international settings.
Year after year, law students in Panama take on the challenge of preparing for this competition, dedicating months to building arguments and strategies around complex issues of public international law — a process that demands rigor, discipline, and collaborative work.
The continuity of this participation not only reinforces its value within legal education, but also creates space to further consolidate its development in the country, with the integration of new universities and future generations of students.
About the Jessup Competition
The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the largest moot court competition in the world, in which law students present oral and written arguments on international disputes in an environment that replicates proceedings before the International Court of Justice.
The competition was conceived by Professor Richard R. Baxter of Harvard Law School, in collaboration with Professor Stephen M. Schwebel — who would later serve as President of the International Court of Justice — with the goal of creating an academic experience grounded in the practice of international law.
Originally called the “International Law Moot,” Jessup held its first round on May 8, 1960, at Harvard University, with the exclusive participation of students from that institution. Since then, it has evolved into a global platform bringing together hundreds of law schools from more than 100 countries and jurisdictions.
For more information about the Jessup Competition and future editions, please contact: marketing@lovill.com
