Ms Ayana Ki (Davinder Singh Chambers) and Ms Melody Lau (previously of Drew & Napier LLC) have won the 2023 Essex Court Chambers – Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) International Mooting Competition.
The competition is organised by the members of Essex Court Chambers and the SAL, and celebrated its 10th anniversary in person this year.
This year’s competition included 15 teams of accomplished advocates from Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. The competition gives young lawyers (those who have been qualified for practice for fewer than three years) the opportunity to showcase and hone their advocacy skills on an international stage.
In the final round held at the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law on 11 January 2023, Ms Ayana Ki and Ms Melody Lau competed against Mr Brandon Chin and Ms Sa’datun Naadhiyah.
The moot problem centered around a contract for services advising on whether a new cryptocurrency code infringed a third party’s intellectual property rights and involved arguments on the recoverability of damages and the enforceability of an arguable penalty clause in the contract. The arguments in the final round were presented before a distinguished judging panel comprising of Justice Philip Jeyaretnam (High Court of Singapore and President of the Singapore International Commercial Court), Mr Joe Smouha KC and Mr David Joseph KC.
The winners of the competition have each won an all expenses paid two week internship with Essex Court Chambers in London. The prize for best memorandum was awarded to Mr Nikhil Angappan and Mr Samuel Wittberger (both of Drew & Napier LLC) and the award for best speaker was given to Mr Jayakumar Suryanarayanan (WongPartnership LLP). Mr Brandon Chin and Ms Sa’datun Naadiyah from Brunei were awarded the prize for the Best International Team.
The organisers congratulate all teams for participating this year and offer many thanks to SAL and junior members of chambers who made the event a great success. Barristers at Essex Court Chambers look forward to hosting the winners in London.
