Successful inception of the Oxford Comparative Moot in German Law
The inaugural Oxford Comparative Moot in German Law took place at the Law Faculty on 2nd February 2023, hosted by the Institute of European and Comparative Law (IECL). This unique competition brought together students, practitioners and academics interested in the comparison of German and English law. It was organised by Dr Johannes Ungerer, Erich Brost Lecturer in German Law and EU Law at Oxford. For the generous donation enabling the moot, the IECL expressed its gratitude to Dr Martin Mekat and his team of fellow German lawyers from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater PartG mbB.
Lord Mance chaired the moot panel and was joined by Dr Alice Möller-Roth from Freshfields and by Dr Johannes Ungerer. They welcomed the two competing mixed teams of Oxford undergraduate students reading for Law with German Law and German exchange students from Munich and Bonn. The teams had to present their legal evaluations of a cross-border contract dispute between a car manufacturer in Oxford and a German supplier, which involved questions of liquidated damages and contractual penalties against the background of unfair contract terms legislation. The moot panel was impressed by the high standard of the submissions and how well all team members were able to respond to follow-up questions. The focus was placed on the comparative aspects of the legal analysis as well as on the commercial considerations in finding viable solutions to the dispute.
The participants were awarded certificates and prizes for their successful performance and received feedback from the moot panel. The event culminated afterwards in a celebratory reception and dinner at St Hilda’s College, which provided an opportunity for the participants and other German law students in Oxford to network with the practitioners and academics.
