IE Law School ranks among the top 8% worldwide in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot

The IE Law School team ranked among the top 8% worldwide in the 33rd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, making it the highest-performing Spanish institution in this edition.

This achievement builds on a strong track record, following the team’s victory at the Madrid Vis Pre-Moot and an outstanding 5th place finish at the Pre-Moot in The Hague, held at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The team, composed of LL.M. students specializing in International Dispute Resolution — Alejandro García, Ivan Harrison, Konstantinos Volonasis, Mariana Belfort, and Mateo Rodríguez— and coached by Mélanie Riofrio and Santiago Soto, achieved this result after six months of intensive preparation of their statements of claim and defense.

A DEMANDING PROCESS IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT

In total, the team competed in 34 rounds across international pre-moots, general rounds, and the final stages in Vienna. Over the course of the competition, they conducted more than 50 hours of oral hearings against universities from across the globe. This demanding journey culminated in their qualification for the round of the top 32 universities, along with an Honorable Mention for the Eric E. Bergsten Award for Best Team Oral Performance.

As Mateo Rodríguez highlights, "Grateful to have been able to share such an immersive arbitration experience with the IE Team. When we worked together no challenge seemed impossible to overcome and the lessons we take home are invaluable." In a similar vein, Ivan Harrison emphasizes the lasting impact of the experience, noting that "I cannot think of a single thing I have learned during the Vis Moot that I will not carry with me throughout my entire professional career."

Alejandro García describes it as "an experience as demanding as it was enriching — one that sharpened both my academic and professional outlook. Intellectually rigorous, yet deeply collaborative," while Mariana Manzano underscores its practical impact, stating that "The Vis Moot offered a uniquely demanding and collaborative environment that continues to influence how I approach legal challenges."

Finally, Konstantinos Volonasis offers a reflection inspired by Heraclitus: "No man ever steps in the same river twice — and at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, I saw a team become friends in a journey that could never be repeated in the same way again."

Participation in the Vis Moot underscores IE Law School’s commitment to experiential and globally oriented legal education, preparing its students to thrive in an increasingly complex, competitive, and rapidly evolving legal landscape.