Moot court is a legal competition that simulates the consideration of a case in a state or international court. Moot court cases are an excellent platform for practicing lawyers. Participation in the moot court gives you the opportunity to expand your experience, hone the skills of written and oral evidence and teamwork.

Depending on the branch of law, there are many international moot courts, for example:

1.  Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition – mooting on the issues of international public law;

2. Jean-Pictet Competition on International Humanitarian Law – concerning international humanitarian law;

3.   ELSA Moot Court Competition on WTO law.

The structure of moot court within the project consists of next steps:

1. Selection of 16 lawyers, who will be divided into 8 teams of 2 people.

2. Four teams will represent the applicant’s position on the fictional case, and the other four will represent the position of the government, in this case, the government of Republic of Kazakhstan.

3. Each team should prepare a written memorandum with the argumentation of their claims on the basis of the questions posed in the case, with which they apply to the reviewing body — the UN Human Rights Committee.

4. Four qualifying games, in which teams will present the positions of the applicant and the defendant in front of the so-called “judge’s bench” – as part of a simulation of a real appeal to the UN Human Rights Committee, will allow four teams to get ahead. Then the semi-final will take place, and the two strongest teams will meet in the final.

Following the results of the selection, Madina Berkali will hold an information session for the participants with a full explanation on the details of the event. Participants will receive instructions, with the case, and the package of necessary documents. Teams will be able to get acquainted with the case and prepare for the qualifying rounds.

The qualifying rounds will be held in mid-April 2021, in the format of a trial, with time limits and performances.

Russian lawyer Dmitry Bartenev, head of the human rights practice at Onegin Group, Elvira Bokhanova, lawyer of the Almaty City Bar Association, and Madina Berkali, international lawyer, captain of the Kazakhstan team in the F. C. Jessup 2015 Cup, will help us in conducting the moot court.