Director's Message

Competing in an international moot is probably the most challenging law school activity, and there is no better place to do it than in SMU, which is universally regarded as one of the most formidable law schools in the world in international moots despite having graduated its first batch of law students only in 2011. SMU mooters regularly feature in the world championship finals of the largest and most prestigious competitions, such as:

* Jessup (2025 world champions and world championship finalist in 2013, 2014, 2022)

* Vis East (3x world champions)

* Vis (3x world championship finalist)

* International Criminal Court (6x world champions)

* Price (4x world champions)

* Lachs (2024 world champions)

* Frankfurt (3x world champions)

SMU also holds various records in international moots, such as:

* Most world championship final appearances in a single season (11, set in 2024/25)

* Most world championships in a single season (7, set in 2024/25)

* Most Grand Slam finals since 2010

* Most Grand Slam wins since 2010

* Most nica.team points accumulated in a single season (2021/22)

Overall, as of 14 January 2026, SMU’s international mooters have placed in the Top-3 in international moots 185 times (winning 71 of the 122 championship finals they have been in) in addition to winning more than 390 Best Oralist and Best Memorial prizes.

Thanks to the Ian Taylor Memorial Fund and support given by Providence Law Asia and the International Moots Alumni Group, more than a hundred students are given the opportunity to compete in international moots every year, regardless of experience, grades, and public speaking background.

With generous funding, students have more than 30 competitions to choose from every year. Just as importantly, mooters representing SMU in international competitions are trained over a sustained period and closely supervised by faculty members and a wide network of practicing lawyers.

Many of our mooters go on to secure the top jobs in the legal profession such as prestigious local and international clerkships, and many also undertake postgraduate studies in the very best law schools. Our alumni also do very well in moots for young lawyers.

There is no better way to acquire the fundamental skills of analysis, research, writing, and advocacy required for legal practice than mooting, and there is also no better way to be connected to the vast network of junior and senior lawyers that SMU’s pool of coaches and judges now comprise, than to do an international moot in SMU. Get in touch via siyuanchen@smu.edu.sg if you have any queries!

Chen Siyuan
Professor of Law
Director, Ian R Taylor International Moots Programme