The John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition, previously known as the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) Moot Court Competition, was founded in 2002 by the European
Law Students’ Association with the support of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Each year, the Competition brings together students, young lawyers, academics, and practitioners from across the globe, creating a vibrant space for dialogue and learning on the functioning of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. With participating teams from diverse jurisdictions and panels comprising distinguished national and international judges who are leading practitioners and scholars in international trade and investment law, the Competition offers a truly global forum for academic and professional exchange.
The Research and Advisory Centre for International Economic Law had the privilege of hosting the 23rd West and South Asia Regional Round of the John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition at the National Law University, Jodhpur. The four days of the event, along with the months of preparation leading up to it, offered the organising committee an invaluable professional and academic experience. The Rounds were adjudged by 36 panellists, including eminent experts such as Ambassador Ujal Singh Bhatia, Claude Chase, Atul Sharma, and Devindra Bagia, among other distinguished practitioners and scholars. The successful conduct of the previous edition reflected the University’s commitment to academic rigour, institutional excellence, and meaningful engagement with global legal discourse in International Trade Law.
This achievement also underscores National Law University, Jodhpur’s strength in International Economic Law through its specialised Trade and Investment Law Honours course. The course delves into trade, investment, and related policy issues, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of global trade and investment frameworks. The specialised course has produced graduates who are now placed in remarkable positions across the globe. Alumni of this program work in prestigious international law firms, leading multinational corporations, prominent policy think tanks, and esteemed academic institutions.
This global network of successful professionals highlights the course’s emphasis on academic rigour and practical application.
About our sponsors
Global Sponsors
The Competition is supported by several Global Sponsors including the World Trade Organization, World Trade Institute, Mayer Brown, Baker McKenzie, Van Bael and Bells, White & Case, Nishimura and Asahi, Dentons, Advisory Centre on WTO Law, Jus Mundi, Georgetown Law, the Geneva Graduate Institute, and the Centre for Trade and Economic Integration. These institutions and organisations represent leading centres of expertise in International Economic law, legal practice, research, and policy, and their continued support reflects the global significance and academic prestige of the Competition.
Sponsors for the West and South Asia Regional Round Platinum Sponsors The Centre for Trade and Investment Law, Sarvada Legal and Research and
Information System for Developing Countries are supporting the event as Platinum Sponsors. The Centre for Trade and Investment Law is a premier think tank under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, which focuses on building capacity and advancing research in the field of international trade and investment law. Sarvada Legal is a boutique law firm specialising in International Trade Law and WTO dispute settlement, with extensive experience in advising governments and private entities on complex trade remedy and trade policy matters. The Research and Information System for Developing Countries is a leading policy research institute that specialises in international economic relations, trade policy, and development cooperation, and plays an important role in supporting evidence based policymaking in India and the Global South.
Gold Sponsors
Furthermore, Lakshmikumaran and Sridharan Attorneys, a premier full service law firm in India with forty plus years’ experience in providing comprehensive legal solutions is supporting the event as a Gold Sponsor. In addition, the Centre for WTO, serving as a permanent think tank and repository of knowledge and documentation relating to WTO negotiations, is also supporting the event as a Gold Sponsor.
Exclusive Media Partner
The Competition is also supported by SCC OnLine as the Exclusive Media Partner. SCC
OnLine is one of India’s leading legal research platforms, providing comprehensive access to case law, legislation, and legal scholarship for practitioners, academics, and students.
Our decision to host the Competition once again is rooted in the strong alignment between the values of the John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition and the ethos of the University. Its global standing, the substantive depth of WTO law, and the spirit of healthy and informed competition that it promotes makes it an event of exceptional academic and professional significance.
We now look forward to hosting the West and South Asia Regional Rounds of the 24th edition of this prestigious Competition from 17 March 2026 to 20 March 2026 at National Law University Jodhpur.
For more details about the Competition, please refer to the brochure available here.
Patron
Prof. (Dr.) Harpreet Kaur
Vice Chancellor
National Law University, Jodhpur
Organiser-in-Chief
Dr. Bipin Kumar
Director, RACIEL
National Law University, Jodhpur
Ms. Nandini Babbar and Mr. Akshat
Co-Convenors, RACIEL
National Law University, Jodhpur
