Global Team Participates In St. Thomas University's School of Law Susan J. Ferrell Intercultural Human Rights Competition

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Feb 05, 2013, 03:44 ET

MIAMI, Feb. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The School of Law of Miami's St. Thomas University held the 2013 Susan J. Ferrell Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition last weekend, attracting a record number of eleven teams from all over the world. They ranged from two teams from India (Gujarat and Christ University, Bangalore), one from Hong Kong, one from the United Arab Emirates (Sharjah), one from Ethiopia (Addis Ababa University, funded by Germany's Friedrich Ebert Foundation), to teams from Duke Law School, the University of North Carolina, Howard University, Valparaiso, to our neighbors FIU and the University of Miami. The problem revolved around the breach of an international investment contract, the right to water, the building of a dam in violation of rights of indigenous peoples, detention, extradition, and other human rights issues. It was written by a student team consisting of Clayton Lingg, Alexandra Salvador, Sarah Strickland, and Denise Yeakey. The teams commented they were attracted primarily by the exceptional quality, real-life character and complexity of the problem.

Dr. Siegfried Wiessner with Last Round Competition Team. (PRNewsFoto/St. Thomas University) (PRNewsFoto/ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130205/DC54893)

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The preliminary rounds took place February 2. Based on the totals of their scores, FIU and Hong Kong advanced to the Final Round on Sunday. The best oralist was Michelle Huang from Duke, the best memorial was written by the City University of Hong Kong. At the awards ceremony on Saturday, Dean Ray warmly welcomed all of the teams, focusing on the common values of human dignity that were shared by all the participants.

On Sunday, the Final Round took place before a hot bench consisting of Professor and Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, The Honorable Fausto Pocar, Professor John Kang, and the Valedictorian of the 2007 LL.M. IHR class, Danielle Boaz. The Ferrell Trophy was won by an outstanding team from the City University of Hong Kong; FIU turned in a most commendable performance as the runner-up.

As every year, the success of this event was made possible through the enthusiastic support from the STU team that served as judges - Professors Howard Blumberg, Marc-Tizoc Gonzalez, Marvin Klein, Gary Kravitz, Jennifer Martin, Bob Mensel, Anthony Musto, Kenneth Noto, Jay Silver, and Susan Warheit - and to the Professor and Director of the St. Thomas Intercultural Human Rights Program, Dr. Siegfried Wiessner. The St. Thomas Law School expressed its appreciation to LL.M. and J.S.D. International Human Rights graduates and other friends of the program who shared their expertise as judges: Olugbenga Ademodi, Alexandra Audate, Timothy Dunfey, Peter Falowo, Nadine Gedeon, Talle Gilmore, Gail Hamaty-Bird, Missiva Khacer, Victoria Mesa-Estrada, Frank Minton, Sylvia Ospina, Maritza Pasternack, Jerry Schreiber, Kseniya Smychkouskaya, Edward Tapanes, Gizachew Tesfaye, Gregory Toussaint, Ana Vallejo, Stephanie Villavicencio, and Michelle Yong.

For additional information on St. Thomas University schools and academic programs please contact Chief Marketing/Communications Officer Marivi Prado at [email protected].

Media Contact: Marivi Prado, Chief Marketing/Communications Officer, [email protected]; 305.474.6880

SOURCE St. Thomas University