Oxford team wins the Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition 2022

The University of Oxford’s team won the Grand Final of the 10th edition of the Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition (formerly known as the ELSA Human Rights Law Moot) held in Strasbourg from 9-13 May 2022.

Disha Anand (BCL, Brasenose), Reuben Andrews (BCL, Lincoln), Weronika Galka (BA in Jurisprudence, St Peters) and Oliver Clement (BA in Jurisprudence, Magdalen) had progressed through the regional round held earlier this year in first place. At the International Finals, Oxford progressed through preliminary rounds, quarter-finals and semi-finals to moot in the grand final, which was held in the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights before a panel of 9 judges. Over 50 teams entered the competition and 19 teams progressed to the International Finals. The team was coached by Ashleigh Barnes (DPhil in Law, Lady Margaret Hall).

The moot simulates the experience of pleading a case before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and is organized by the European Law Students’ Association with the support of the Council of Europe. The case for the 2022 edition concerned alleged violations of the right to life, the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment, the right to respect for private life and the protection of property. In broad terms, it dealt with the application of the European Convention on Human Rights to natural disasters caused by anthropogenic climate change.