What is the Vis Competition?

The Willem C. Vis Moot Court Competition is an annual international commercial arbitration competition hosted every spring in Vienna, Austria. In recent years, more than 350 law schools from over 50 countries have taken part.
 
Each year, the competition problem is released in October. The team spends the fall researching the problem and writing briefs on behalf of the Claimant and Respondent. After the second brief is submitted, in January, the team begins preparing oral arguments. 

The Vis Moot competition itself takes place the week before Easter and involves both general and advanced rounds. Each team will argue four times before the top 64 teams advance to a series of single-elimination rounds.

Awards are given for the best briefs and best oral advocates.

Recent performances:

• In the 23rd Vis Moot Court Competition (2016), the Penn State Law Vis Moot Team advanced to the Round of 32.
• In the 24th Vis Moot Court Competition(2017), the Penn State Law Vis Moot Team received honorable mention for the Claimant’s brief.
• In the 25th Vis Moot Court Competition (2018), the Penn State Law Vis Moot Team advanced to the Round of 64.
• In the 26th Vis Moot Court Competition (2019), the Penn State Law Vis Moot Team finished first. (See here and here.)
• Owing to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Penn State Law Vis Moot Team did not participate in the 27th Vis Moot Court Competition (2020).