Elsa Moot Court
The ELSA Germany Moot Court (EDMC) is the largest nationwide moot court competition. The EDMC is held annually over three rounds – regional heats, the national heat and the national final. The final takes place every year at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe. The various rounds are spread over the course of a year, and preparation for each round takes only a few weeks.
Johannes Weber from REGINA works with the participants in the run-up to the competition to help them develop a confident demeanour in court.
A Look Back at 2025
Clemens Okruch and Niklas Pfeiffer have won the University of Regensburg’s local round of the 32nd ELSA Germany Moot Court Competition. At the national round held at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg, the pair reached the semi-finals and were awarded a prize for the best statement of defence.
A Look Back at 2024
Jury:
- Dr Georg Graml, Solicitor
- Nikolaus Schröder, Assistant in Law
- Prof. Dr Claudia Mayer, LL.M. (Chicago)
Organisation:
- ELSA e.V. (vpaa@elsa-regensburg.de)
Team training:
- Anna Gmehling (Professor Mayer’s Department, anna.gmehling@ur.de)
- Elina Mayer (Professor Kühling’s Chair, Elina.Mayer@stud.uni-regensburg.de)
- Johannes Weber (REGINA Training Centre, johannes.weber@ur.de)
- Nikolaus Schröder (Professor Heese’s Department, nikolaus1.schroeder@jura.uni-regensburg.de)
A Look Back at 2023
On 26 January 2023, the Regensburg regional round of this year’s ELSA Germany Moot Court took place. In the afternoon, two preliminary rounds were held to determine the two teams that would go through to the final. In the evening, the finalist teams then competed against each other in front of an audience in the well-attended H 24 room of the Vielberth Building. In the end, Luisa Rupp and Sophia Wewer impressed the jury most with their oral arguments and went on to win the competition.
A Look Back at 2022
On 26 January 2022, the Regensburg regional round of this year’s ELSA Germany Moot Court took place. Due to the pandemic, the oral hearing was held as a hybrid event. The audience were able to follow the hearing live via Zoom. Helena Manke and Tom Jensson won the Regensburg preliminary round. They now have the opportunity to qualify for the final at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe. Sarah Reisinger and Benjamin Römer also performed well during the hearing.
A Look Back at 2021
Anna Gmehling and Elina Mayer emerged victorious in the 2021 regional round as representatives of the claimant. However, Sarah Pommer and Sophie Bittl, who represented the defendant, also performed well. Due to the pandemic, the mock trial was held online via Zoom for the first time. Around 150 spectators watched the civil trial from their screens at home, as four law students, in the role of solicitors, fought for the interests of their fictional clients. As was the case last year, Dr Georg Graml, Prof. Dr Michael Heese and Prof. Dr Claudia Mayer co-drafted the claim with the participants and subsequently announced the winners of the competition.
Anna Gmehling (Prof. Dr Michael Heese’s department) and Elina Mayer (Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling’s department) then went on to win the ELSA Germany Moot Court (EDMC) before the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) as the Regensburg team. The winners of the Regensburg regional round in January 2021 had, shortly before that, prevailed against nine other teams at the national round in Hamburg. In the final of the competition, the national round, the Regensburg team faced a team from the University of Osnabrück.
Nikolaus Schröder (Professor Heese’s Chair) and Johannes Weber (REGINA Training Centre) prepared the BGH winners for their court appearance and for drafting a legal brief in the run-up to the competition, and offer their warmest congratulations to both of them.
A Look Back at 2020
The Regensburg local final took place on 16 January 2020. The winners were Carla Weinzierl and Katharina Phillipp.
Moot Court in Employment Law
The Chair of Civil Law and Employment Law (Prof. Dr Frank Maschmann) usually organises an employment law moot court during the winter semester. Johannes Weber from REGINA works with the participants in the run-up to the event to help them present themselves confidently in court.
Students are tasked with representing fictional parties to proceedings, each with conflicting interests, in court, based on a given set of facts from the field of labour law. To this end, the teams must draft a written submission and present their arguments in an oral hearing before a jury of judges. A basic knowledge of individual labour law is desirable. It is not necessary to have attended lectures in labour law specialisation areas 13 and 14.
Participation counts as a key skills course within the meaning of Section 28(2) of the Study Regulations (StPrO).
As soon as a new edition of the Labour Law Moot Court is planned, specific dates and details will be published on the Labour Law Chair’s website and here. Those interested should contact the Labour Law Chair (external link, opens in a new window).
Fairy-tale Moot Court in Criminal Law
From time to time, ELSA organises a fairy-tale moot court on criminal law. In the past, cases have included, for example, the criminal liability of the hunter and Little Red Riding Hood from the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale. REGINA assists with the preparations.
Moot court on the topic of ‘Fundamental Rights’
A moot court is being held as part of the field trip seminar ‘Fundamental Rights and their Impact on the Civil Law System’. This joint seminar with HTW Berlin, the Hanoi School of Law and the National University of Vietnam examines the protection of human rights under international law and its implications for constitutional and civil law. The findings will then be applied in a two-day moot court. The seminar is conducted in English; it took place in Hanoi from 5 March to 15 March 2023. A repeat edition is planned.
Prof. Tischbirek’s junior professorship (external link, opens in a new window) is responsible for supervising the seminar and handling enrolment at the University of Regensburg.
Moot Court in Administrative Law
ELSA regularly organises an administrative law moot court. Further information can be found on ELSA Regensburg’s Instagram page. REGINA supports participating students through its course ‘Appearing in Court’. Prof. Tischbirek’s junior professorship (external link, opens in a new window) also supports the event.
Nuremberg Moot Court
The Nuremberg Moot Court invites participants from around the world to argue a fictitious international criminal law case before the ‘International Criminal Court’. By examining both complex procedural and substantive issues of international criminal law, students are given the opportunity to apply and develop their skills whilst participating in the moot in the historic Courtroom 600 at the Nuremberg Palace of Justice. This unique location allows students to practise international criminal law at its very birthplace, offering a historical educational experience.
The contact person at the University of Regensburg is Prof. Dr Jan Bockemühl (external link, opens in a new window).
Soldan Moot
The Soldan Moot on Legal Practice (Soldan Moot) is a nationwide moot court competition for students at German law faculties. It is organised by the Hans Soldan Foundation, the Federal Bar Association (BRAK), the German Bar Association (DAV) and the German Association of Law Faculties (DJT).
The points of contact at the University of Regensburg are Professor Althammer’s chair (external link, opens in a new window) and Professor Heese’s chair (external link, opens in a new window).
Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
The aim of the Vis Arbitral Moot is to promote the study of international commercial law and arbitration as a means of resolving international business disputes by applying these principles to a specific client case, and to train the legal leaders of tomorrow in methods of alternative dispute resolution.
The Moot is organised by the Association for the Organisation and Promotion of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (Verein zur Veranstaltung und Förderung des Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot).
The contact at the University of Regensburg is Professor Mayer’s department (external link, opens in a new window).