The HSE team became quarterfinalists of the FDI Moot in Miami!
This year, our students reached the quarterfinals of the Foreign Direct Investment Moot Court (“FDI Moot"), the most prestigious competition in the field of international investment arbitration. 57 teams from around the world participated in this year’s edition of FDI Moot. The competition was held in Miami, Florida, USA.
The HSE team was ranked among the top of the best teams in the world (for the second year in a row!), after competing against strong opponents including universities from Canada, Singapore, Colombia, the Philippines and Panama. In the round of 16, the HSE team won a difficult round against the University of Montevideo, Uruguay (last year's finalist).
The HSE team won the award for the best Respondent Memorial for the first time, as well as the Award for the valuation of damages and a special cash prize. Global Financial Analytics LLC sponsored the cash prize this year. Richard Walk, the head of the firm, commented «Bravo to the winning team! The logical arrangement of arguments was excellent with the initial setting out of key points, acknowledgement of potential countervailing views, which we have talked about a lot, nice elaboration of proof elements and the incorporation of outside research that showed profound understanding of real market practice and its application to present issues». Congratulations to Vera Bykova who did such an excellent job on damages issue.
The 2019 FDI Moot case involved the Respondent State blocking social media platforms for their alleged part in fomenting civil unrest. The three Claimants alleged expropriation and violation of fair and equitable treatment, while the Respondent objected to the ICSID tribunal’s jurisdiction on the basis of its denunciation of the ICSID Convention and the plurality of Claimants. The Respondent also sought to enjoin the Claimants’ international media campaign against it while the proceedings were in progress.
The Faculty of law team was represented by students of the Master's programme 'Law of International Trade, Finance and Economic Integration': Alice Protasova (1 year), Daria Zavershinskaia, Elena Murashko, Nikita Sinitsin (2 year), Konstantin Pashuto (graduate) and Vera Bykova (graduate of Master’s programme in International Private Law)
The team was coached by Dimitriy Mednikov (BGP Litigation) and Anna Korshunova (LALIVE, Geneva)
The team’s achievements would not have been possible without the help of the main sponsors Tomashevskaya & Partners and BGP Litigation. The team is also thankful for support to the sponsors Saveliev, Batanov & Partners Law Firm, Russian Arbitration Center and law firm Veda.