Law students stand out in arbitration and intellectual property

According to UNal Law, Political, and Social Sciences Professor Germán Flórez, arbitration is the way to solve disputes among countries or companies in less time than using the ordinary justice system. 

UNal School of Law students demonstrated their capabilities in implementing this mechanism by taking second place in the International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition organized by the Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) and the Universidad del Rosario (Colombia), which took place at the Universidad de Montevideo (Uruguay). 

Six months before the competition students are assigned a case which they need to solve both on the side of the claimant and for the respondent, knowing the facts and statements of both parties. 

The participants should demonstrate, present written arguments, have oratory capabilities and the necessary law knowledge to defend their position. 

Law student Laura Vargas Falla says that in Montevideo they took a case of international trade contractual breach of two privately held firms and the final oralists were her fellow students, Daniela Palma and José Cano. 

"This is a very important competition with participation of more than 50 universities from Europe, United States and Latin America. This was the ninth edition of the event and in the last three years we have reached the final stages," said Flórez. 

Furthermore a group of ten students obtained second place in the International Investment Arbitration Moot Competition, organized by the Universidad Externado de Colombia and the American Washington University, supported by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) with participation of universities of all Latin America. César Pérez and Álvaro Cárdenas were the oralists in the final stage. 

Law student Felipe Cortés said the case was about a claim made to a government for ousting an oil company from the country; the investor was the claimant who requested compensation for the damages endured due to expropriation. 

They also reached the quarterfinals during the VIII edition of the 2016 International Trade Law Arbitration Moot Competition, organized by the Universidad Carlos III of Madrid and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. 

In this completion UNal student, Alejandra Pallares obtained third best oralist in a case regarding a distribution contract in international trade arbitration applying the rules of the Vienna Convention on International Sale of Goods. 

"In this competition, there were approximately 30 universities and to reach the finals means we are in the best eight. Different groups of students participated in the competitions, demonstrating that the UNal School of Law has an important formation process," said Flórez. 

These experiences have led UNal to be one of the finest universities in Colombia. UNal also took first place in the National Intellectual Property Moot Competition with participation of Camilo Pérez and Lina Gutiérrez, over other top universities in Colombia.