A Griffith Law student has received second place at an international moot competition in Hong Kong.

Michael de Waard, was named runner up best oralist, debating a moot commercial arbitration case at the Vis East Moot Competition.

Michael and team-mate Cameron Low also received an honourable mention for their claimant’s memorandum of argument and made it to the finals of the competition, against more than 40 international teams.

Michael said the competition was a great experience.

“It was well organised and the standard of competition blew us away,” Michael said.

“The arbitrators (judges) were very experienced, in fact, one of our arbitrators, Dr Ingeborg Schwenzer, was one of the original drafters of the Convention on the International Sale of Goods (CISG) – the law applicable to the dispute.

“It was incredible to be able to argue points of the law she had actually drafted. You could not get anything past her. Her feedback was very kind and she was impressed with our knowledge and oral advocacy skills. It really was an honour.”

Michael said the Griffith team had put in a lot of hard work over the last six months and found the competition very valuable.

“We met some prominent people in the world of international commercial arbitration — people we would never have met if it weren’t for the moot, and also made some great friends from around the world.

Michael said the moot also strengthened his desire to practice international commercial arbitration.

“The competition really opens your eyes to opportunities in Australia and aboard,” Michael said.

“It would be great to be able to practise in international commercial arbitration and having networked with many prominent arbitrators, practitioners and scholars, we are in a much stronger position to be successful in this area in the future.

“We have also had insight into the future of international arbitration, its benefits and downfalls, and where it is heading.”

Michael also acknowledged the support of the team coach, Senior Law Lecturer Therese Wilson.

“Our success is a direct result of Therese’s coaching and the time she invested into us. This opportunity would not be available to Griffith students if it weren’t for her tireless efforts,” Michael said.

“We owe this wonderful opportunity to her and to our sponsor — Partner of Minter Ellison Lawyers, Khory McCormick.”