By Hani Hazaimeh

AMMAN - A total of 36 law students from nine Jordanian universities will take part in the second National Moot Court Competition to be launched under the patronage of the Ministry of Justice on February 9.

Organised by the American Bar Association (ABA) Rule of Law Initiative and supported by the United States Agency for International Development, the contest aims to enhance the development of legal education in Jordanian universities.

The competition is modelled on the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, which is held annually in Vienna and aims to train future lawyers in alternative methods of conflict resolution.

Each university will be represented by two two-member teams selected from 160 students who participated in training workshops organised by local and international experts.

“The ministry hopes this activity will become an annual academic tradition in the legal education sector due to its important role in unleashing the potential of law students,” Justice Minister Ayman Odeh told reporters at a press conference yesterday.

He added that the ministry is looking to expand the competition to include other countries in the region and for an Arab team take part in the Annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot.

Addressing participants, ABA Deputy Regional Director Kathryn Ainsworth said the competition is one of a series of activities designed to enhance legal education in the Kingdom.

“Strong legal education programmes at the university level are critical for developing the finest judges and lawyers for Jordan,” Ainsworth said, adding that that the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in Jordan is one of 40 such programmes around the world.

The results of the first competition, held last year, revealed Jordanian law students’ energy, camaraderie, and willingness to learn, an important indicator for tomorrow’s leaders, she said.

In the future, Jordanian law students may be able to participate in international competitions, she added.

“Competing regionally and internationally will challenge students to higher standards of excellence and help broaden their understanding of legal communities outside of Jordan,” Ainsworth said, stressing that Jordanian universities can take the lead in implementing such programmes in the region, thus guaranteeing Jordan’s position as a hub for education and excellence.

Thirty judges and lawyers will evaluate the participating teams’ performance in order to determine the winning team for this year.

The ministry will distribute cash prizes to the winning teams: JD1,100 for the first place winner, JD500 for the second, JD350 for the third and JD250 for fourth place.

The first national Moot Court Competition was held in May 2007 with the participation of 24 students representing three universities.