A team from Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) Law School ranked 9th overall out of 34 universities at the PAX Moot Court competition 2025 oral rounds, held from April 8 to 11 in Maastricht, the Netherlands. The team, consisting of Olena Leshchenko, Magda Khalvashi and Daryna Shykeriava, the students of the joint master’s program on European and International Business Law, was led by their coaches, Associate Professor Dr. Remigijus Jokubauskas and PhD Candidate Ivan Sukhorukov.
The PAX Moot, established in 2012, is a renowned international moot court competition focused on issues of Private International Law. It requires students to apply EU law and other legal instruments to complex cross-border legal disputes.
The competition consists of two parts: written and oral. In the written part of the competition, the teams prepare two procedural documents (memorandums) – the claim and the statement of defense. During the oral part, each team has 40 minutes to present the arguments before judges assessing their performance, who are specialists experienced in the field of private international law
This year problems addressed in the PAX Moot focused on international jurisdiction, applicable law and recognition of the foreign settlement in a cross-border dispute concerning the protection of mental health of content moderators working for an international media platform.
The MRU Law School team encountered teams from Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (France), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) and Tashkent State University of Law (Uzbekistan).
“The competition challenged us to think critically about complex questions of private international law. It was a truly valuable experience, which developed the feeling of the Team and inspires further personal development,” shared Olena Leshchenko.
“It is always very interesting to dive deeply into the issues of private international law, especially when it is a part of the preparation for the moot court. Apart from intensive rounds, we also had a great time in Maastricht. It was truly valuable experience for which I am very grateful,” added Daryna Shykeriava.
“Participating in the PAX Moot Court Competition was not merely a competition, but an intellectually enriching journey that strengthened our passion for the legal profession and fostered both personal and professional growth. Representing our university was both an honor and a responsibility, motivating us to give our best throughout the PAX Moot Court journey. The moot challenged us to think critically, argue persuasively, and collaborate under pressure - skills at the heart of legal advocacy,” commented Magda Khalvashi.
MRU’s Law School Team thanks the Law Firm Sorainen and Partners for their financial support.
Additional information about the PAX Moot can be found on the official website.
