Jessica Peake, director of UCLA School of Law's International and Comparative Law Program, traveled to Kabul in January to serve as a judge at the Afghanistan National Rounds of the Phillip Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.
National rounds are held in multiple countries to determine which teams advance to the international rounds of the competition. Peake will also serve as a judge at the 2017 finals, to be held April 9-16 in Washington, D.C. With teams from more than 550 law schools in more than 100 countries, the Jessup competition is the world’s largest moot court competition.
The case for which each team prepares oral and written pleadings is a simulation of a dispute between two states before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. This year's dispute concerns the equitable utilization of underground aquifers, protection of world heritage sites, return of cultural property and whether there is a right to compensation for expenses incurred due to mass refugee flows.
Peake has experience, both as a participant representing Leiden University and as team coach. In Kabul, Peake judged several preliminary rounds and was the only female judge on a panel of five for the final round of that competition. For nine years, Peake has served as a judge at several national and international rounds.
