Moot Coach: Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition 2023/24

We are inviting applications from current graduate students at the University of Oxford for the role of coach of Oxford’s team in the Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition 2023/24. 

About the Moot

The Jessup is the largest mooting competition in the world, attracting participants from over 700 law schools. The competition is run by the International Law Students Association. The UK National Rounds take place in London in February, with the top two teams progressing to the International Rounds in Washington DC in April. Oxford has won the national competition several times and has progressed deep into the international rounds. In 2022-23, Oxford’s team made it to the Top 8 teams in the international rounds, after winning the UK National Rounds.

The coach will be expected to accompany the team to the UK National Rounds in London, and to the International Rounds in Washington DC (if the team qualifies to the international rounds). 

Selection criteria

The Coach will be chosen on the basis of previous mooting experience, both as a coach and as a participant (although extensive experience is not required); previous participation in the Jessup competition; knowledge of Public International Law; and organisational and leadership skills. 

Eligibility

This role is open to current graduate students (with a background in law) in the University of Oxford and the hours are in line with the restrictions on working hours for students at the Faculty of Law.  It is expected that the work will be undertaken in the UK.

Outline of Role

The duties of the Coach will include, but are not limited to:

• selecting the 2023/24 team;
• providing the team with general instruction on the basic principles of public international law, research sources, and methods;
• providing general advice on memorial writing techniques;
• organising and recruiting judges for participation in practice moots;
• providing general advice on oral advocacy techniques;
• managing the Jessup budget; and
• organising and administrating participation in the competition.

The Coach would need to start working closely with the team by around September 2023, although they may want to provide the team with some reading over the summer vacation. In addition, the Coach would need to manage the submission of written memorials over the winter vacation of 2023-24.

Duration and Work Hours

• Total number of hours of work available: up to 66 hours
• Start date: 1 June 2023
• End date: 30 April 2024

Please note that the number of work hours will increase if Oxford’s team progresses to the International Rounds of the competition.

Reporting

The Coach will report to the Law Faculty Moot Co-ordinator(s), currently Dr Hayley Hooper and Dr Luke Rostill.

Rate of Pay

The work will be paid at £17.02 per hour (including the exceptional non-consolidated uplift for 2022-23), which equates to University Grade 6, point 1, on the basis of completed and approved timesheets, which must be submitted to payroll@law.ox.ac.uk by the last Friday of each calendar month for payment on the last working day of the following month.

In addition, paid annual leave will be assumed to be taken in the month in which it was accrued.

How to Apply

To apply, please send a brief cover letter (stating their interest and experience in international law and/or mooting) and your CV to mooting@law.ox.ac.uk by 5pm on Wednesday, 17 May 2023.  Informal enquiries may be emailed to mooting@law.ox.ac.uk.

Guidelines for Faculty members, line managers and students

Work must not commence without a letter of engagement or variable hours contract and a right to work check having been carried out by the Faculty Personnel Officer.

Graduate student engagement opportunities in the Faculty of Law usually fall into one of three categories: Research Assistant; Graduate Teaching Assistant; or Blog Editor. 

Full-time graduate students in the Faculty of Law may work up to 8 hours per week, or a common sense average across the year, regardless of the type of work.

Students may not work for their own supervisor without the approval of the Associate Dean for Graduate Students.

Any queries regarding the eligibility of a particular student should be directed to Geraldine Malloy in the Faculty Office.

It is expected that the work will be undertaken in the UK.