The 2027 White & Case International Rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition will be held in Toronto, Canada!
For the first time in the 67-year history of the Jessup Competition, the International Rounds will be moving outside the United States. The 2027 International Rounds will be conducted at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto from 28 March to 4 April 2027.
We thank and congratulate the staff, volunteers, teams, and coaches that made the 2026 International Rounds such a tremendous success, under extremely trying circumstances. Nearly a quarter of competing teams participated remotely, as they were unable to fly to Washington DC due to the impossibility of obtaining a visa to enter the United States – whether because of outright bans or the imposition of significant financial requirements. Still others were unable to participate at all. That the International Rounds happened at all is a testament to the determination, flexibility, energy, ingenuity, and patience of hundreds and thousands of people around the world. You have our gratitude.
At the same time, the ILSA Board of Directors is unanimous in its view that remote participation does not align with the spirit and the purpose of the Jessup Competition. The Jessup Competition is not only about international law and advocacy; it is equally about the friendships formed and the shared experiences among participants. Teams come together not only to compete, but to engage with one another and with the many Friends of the Jessup who attend the International Rounds as judges and volunteers. As the motto of the Jessup Competition reminds us, “One day world leaders will look at each other differently because they met here first, as friends.” We cannot accept that this life-changing opportunity becomes a privilege reserved only to some.
We do not take this decision lightly. The International Rounds have always been in the United States, and nearly always in Washington. The trek to Washington is an annual tradition that generations of our alumni and volunteers remember fondly.
However, the present challenges will not distract ILSA from preserving and promoting the core values of the Jessup Competition.
A mere twenty-five years ago, the Jessup Competition involved about 300 law schools from 55 countries, with only about 68 teams at the International Rounds. Today, the Competition welcomes more than 800 teams from over 100 countries; were it not for the unique challenges we faced, the International Rounds would have seen more than 170 teams from about 100 countries. The global reach of the Competition demands that the ILSA host the International Rounds in a location that is accessible and welcoming to all of our participants.
This historic shift raises several questions. Is the move permanent Will ILSA explore hosting the International Rounds in still other countries in 2028 and beyond The short answer is, we don’t know yet. But moving to Toronto provides ILSA the opportunity to assess the feasibility – for the organization, its volunteers, and its teams – of future locations, in our never-ending mission to make the Jessup Competition as international and inclusive as possible.
This new page in the history of the Jessup is going to require the whole community to pull together. I ask for your help and support with this.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Michael Peil
ILSA Executive Director