A team of Bond University law students has won what is regarded as the World Cup of international criminal law, defeating competitors from 94 universities around the globe.
The Bond team of Elizabeth Greene, Laila Chequer de Souza, Kathleen Trafford, Lachlan Croser and Fletcher O’Connell triumphed in the English edition of the International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition.
The final was held at The Hague in the Netherlands where teams from 48 countries competed before the International Criminal Court in a mock appeal hearing.
The Bond team represented different parties throughout the competition, arguing legal issues around jurisdiction, immunity and procedure.
The final was a simulated appeal before the ICC in the fictional case The Prosecutor versus Droana, involving alleged crimes in the fictional country of Essus.
Bond represented the Government of Marine in the final, with other teams acting as lawyers for the prosecution and the defence.
The court examined whether it could hear the case, which involved alleged war crimes linked to a naval blockade and attacks affecting humanitarian aid.
A key issue was whether the sitting President of Marine, a country not signed up to the ICC, could be prosecuted.
The defence and Bond, representing the Government of Marine, argued she was protected by immunity as a sitting head of state, while the prosecution argued that ICC rules allow prosecution regardless of official position.
The court also considered whether it could hear the case given the accused had been illegally abducted and brought to The Hague. The prosecution argued it could.
Assistant Professor Bonin said rookie mooter Lachlan Croser delivered a standout performance in the final round.
“He put on a master class in advocacy, commanding the room with quiet, unassuming confidence,” she said.
“He was an advocacy assassin that you would never see coming.”
Assistant Professor Bonin said the result reflected nine months of preparation, supported by staff, alumni and peers.
“The Bond spirit is instrumental in the success of our teams,” she said.
“We could not do it without everyone who supported this team on their journey to The Hague.”
The judges, led by ICC Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze, commended all teams for their courtroom performance.
"I do believe, as a judge of the ICC, that international justice has a future,” he said. “The ICC has a future, and that future is you."
Teams from the National Law School of India University and Singapore Management University finished in second and third place. Best Speaker was Ayesha Khan from the National Law School of India University.
The competition was organised by the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies at Leiden University and the International Bar Association.
ICC Moot Court Competitions are organised in English, Spanish, French and Chinese. View videos of the final here and here.