IE Law School wins Madrid Vis Pre-Moot and advances to The Hague

IE Law School proudly celebrates the victory of its team at the 11th Madrid Vis Pre-Moot, one of the preparatory competitions for the 33rd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, a global competition for law students to foster the study and practice of international commercial sales law and arbitration. 

The competition comprised eight simulated hearings, hosted at top-tier international law firms: Cuatrecasas, DLA Piper, Pérez-Llorca, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Spain, Uría Menéndez, White & Case LLP and Ceca Magán Abogados. The final round took place at DLA Piper, where the IE Law School team secured first place. 

This achievement reflects months of disciplined preparation and extraordinary commitment from the students. The winning team is composed of International Dispute Resolution specialization of LL.M. 

• Alejandro García Ramos 
• Ivan Harrison 
• Konstantinos Volonasis 
• Mariana Belfort Manzano 
• Mateo Rodríguez Martínez 

Their success reflects months of disciplined preparation under the guidance of coaches Mélanie Riofrio Piché and Santiago Soto García. Through weekly simulations with arbitration practitioners, counsel and arbitrators — often several sessions per week — students refined their advocacy, procedural strategy and technical analysis. 

Their preparation was further strengthened through extracurricular sessions with leading experts, including public speaking expert Javier Corrales, and Paloma Castro, specialist in third-party funding, a central issue in this year’s case. 

A historic next step: The Hague

Following their victory in Madrid, the team has been admitted — for the first time in IE Law School’s history — to the highly selective Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Pre-Moot at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, held at the Peace Palace. 

Only a limited number of universities worldwide are invited to participate, and until now, Charles III University of Madrid had been the only Spanish institution admitted. This milestone positions IE Law School among an elite group of global competitors and provides students with the rare opportunity to plead in one of the most prestigious venues in international dispute resolution. These accomplishments underscore IE Law School’s commitment to experiential legal education.  

With Madrid conquered and The Hague ahead, the team’s journey continues toward the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna 2026.