Esade Law School-URL and Uría Menéndez launch the University Litigation Challenge

22.03.2023

First competition to be judged by actual judges and magistrates. Participants will put into practice their knowledge of civil and mercantile litigation and criminal litigation

Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Esade Law School-URL and the Uría Menéndez law firm have launched the University Litigation Challenge (TUL 23), in which participants put into practice their knowledge of civil and mercantile ligation and criminal litigation. This is the first moot court with a jury consisting entirely of court magistrates and judges.

The challenge – registration ends on 31 March – is open to any student in the last year of any law degree or in the last-but-one year of any joint major program or the Máster de Abogacía (Master in Law) taught at any Spanish university, and those with less than two years in the legal professional after completing the master in Law when registering for the challenge.

According to David Velázquez, director of the University Master in Law (MUA) at Esade Law School-URL, “taking part in a nation-wide, university litigation challenge organized in conjunction with Uría Menéndez is a very enriching experience for professionals and students in the legal profession. This type of competition enables them to practice the skills and knowledge gained in the classroom, and improve their ability to present persuasive and effective arguments in a simulated setting”.

Raimon Tagliavini Sansa, a lawyer at the Uría Menéndez law firm, regards this as “a great opportunity to take part in an innovative litigation competition involving real judges and magistrates and designed to provide a simulated, value-added experience. This nationwide competition coordinated with Esade Law School-URL will enable participants to practice and improve all the skills and competencies needed by good litigators, and which extend beyond an excellent knowledge of the law.”

Hands-on academic experience and constant connection

The University Litigation Challenge gives participants the chance to interact with law students from all over Spain, enabling them to widen their networks of contacts and gain new insights about law and litigation.

The challenge takes place in several stages. In round 1, on April 28th, the jury will consist of judges and magistrates of the first instance. Round 2, on June 16th, will have judges from provincial courts. And the final round, on June 30th, will have judges from the Supreme Court.

Participants in the area of civil and commercial litigation must present a plaintiff’s or defendant’s argument, depending on the results of a draw, and also act as a lawyer for the plaintiff or defendant in a simulation of a preliminary hearing and trial of the ordinary procedure of the same case. Those participating in criminal litigation must prepare a defendant or plaintiff brief, depending on the results of a draw, and act as a lawyer for the prosecution or the defense – defending the allegations in the brief submitted – in a simulation of the hearing of the abbreviated procedure of the same lawsuit.