Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition
The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is organized annually by the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and is one of the most prestigious International Moot Court Competitions in the World.
In 2026, the 36th year of the Competition, over 100 teams are participating, and this number is growing every year. It is truly a global Moot Court Competition and there are now thousands of Manfred Lachs Competition ‘Alumni’ around the world, many of whom have developed stellar careers in international law, commercial space law and other fields. It is a proven training ground for excellence.
The Competition is particularly distinguished by the tradition of judges of the International Court of Justice presiding over and judging the World Final. This has been the case for every year of the Competition. This represents a life-changing opportunity for students to plead before the world’s leading jurists. No other Moot Court Competition offers such an opportunity to participating students, and the IISL is so grateful to the Judges, and to the International Court of Justice, for supporting the Competition in this way every year.
The World Finals of the Competition takes place within the framework of the IISL’s annual Colloquium, held as part of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), which takes place in a different city each year (in Antalya, Türkiye in 2026). Those participants who reach the World Finals therefore also have the opportunity to meet many scholars, practitioners and academics in the field of international space law. The Competition therefore offers an unparalleled learning experience to all teams at all levels in a fair and cordial environment.
History and Procedure
The first Manfred Lachs Moot Court Competition was held in 1992, when the Association of US Members of the IISL (AUSMIISL) invited Georgetown University, George Washington University and the American University to each send two teams to participate in a moot court competition during the first World Space Congress held in Washington, D.C., USA. One year later, the Competition was expanded to include European students. In 2000, the Asia Pacific Round was added, and the African Region was inaugurated in 2011. Finally, the Latin America round was added in 2021, bringing the Competition currently to five regions spanning the entire world.
The IISL is continually assessing other possibilities to expand the Competition even further, due to increasing demand.
In August each year, selected scholars of space law produce the moot problem for the following year, upon invitation by the IISL Moot Court Committee. The problem is then released to universities and posted on this website. Law schools in each region can then register for the Regional Rounds, which are typically held between March and early June across the five regions. All registered teams are given on-line access to papers of the IISL’s Colloquium Proceedings from 2005 for the purposes of their research. In addition, many useful and interesting documents are freely accessible through the resources page of this website.
Regional Rounds must comply with the Official Rules for the Competition adopted by the IISL Board of Directors. Participating teams are required to submit a ‘Memorial’ as formal written arguments for both the Applicant State and the Respondent State on the legal issues of the hypothetical case. Oral Arguments are also held before panels of judges.
The winning regional teams meet in the World Finals Round and conduct preliminary semi-finals and semi-finals, to determine which two teams will compete in the World Final. Regional winners receive financial support to attend the World Finals Round through the generosity of major agencies and institutions.
The winner of the World Final is presented with the Manfred Lachs Trophy. In addition to the Trophy, awards are also given at the world finals for the best memorials and the best oralist.
Several special awards are given:
- Eilene M. Galloway Award for Best Memorial
- Lee Love Award for Winning Team
- Sterns and Tennen Award for Best Oralist in the World Final
Impact on Past Participants
By participating in the Lachs Moot, team members develop valuable analytical and advocacy while simultaneously learning about core issues of contemporary concern in international space law. These experiences often carry through in later life, helping to shape successful careers in different areas of legal practice.
ERNST BOUCHER, Leiden team winner of world finals in 1993 Graz. ERNST BOUCHER was an entrepreneur for almost fifteen years. Turning 40, he decided to take up the profession he was trained for and become a lawyer. He is now a partner at Immix Advocaten in the Netherlands, specializing in corporate law.
“Taking part in the 1993 Manfred Lachs Moot Court Competition taught me to think on my feet. It also taught me the importance of rhetoric and of structuring an argument into manageable “chunks” you can use creatively during the course of an oral presentation or negotiation.
I still benefit from those lessons today. The Space Law community at that time was formed by a friendly, enthusiastic and highly motivated group of people from around the world. I feel thankful for the opportunity I was given to take part in that group and to learn from its members.”
Stanimir Alexandrov and Tod Cohen were the winning team’s students at the 1992 Space Law Moot Court Competition in Washington DC – The first space law moot court competition ever.
STANIMIR A. ALEXANDROV is now the co-chair of the International Arbitration practice of Sidley Austin LLP, a global law firm with 1,600 lawyers
“When I joined the LL.M. program at The George Washington University Law School, I had no experience with oral advocacy. The opportunity to participate in the Space Law Moot Competition arose early in my studies. I thought it would be a good learning experience. I had no idea then how useful and enjoyable the experience would be. The Competition gave us an opportunity to develop writing and oral presentation skills and to test those skills in practice, before judges of the highest standard. It would be incorrect to say this was close to a real-life experience – it was much more: arguing before judges of the International Court of Justice is more than one would normally hope to achieve in life as a lawyer. I was fascinated by the challenge, by the thrill of persuading the judges, by the ability to conduct an oral argument thinking on my feet and remaining in charge even when I had to improvise. Winning a competition of this kind brings enormous satisfaction and opens the door to new challenges. For over 15 years now, my practice has involved appearing regularly before international tribunals to argue matters of public international law. When I do so, I always remember the Space Law Moot Competition and the lessons I learned from my participation in it.”
TOD COHEN is now a Vice President and the Deputy General Counsel for Global Government Relations, Intellectual Property, Regulatory and Asset Protection of eBay Inc.
“After all these years, I still feel very honored to have participated in the inaugural Space Law Moot Court competition in 1992. Having the opportunity to argue in front of Judges Lachs, Schwebel and Guillaume, was and remains one of the real highlights of my legal career. Having been fortunate enough to practice international law for almost 20 years, my experiences in all facets of the Space Law Moot Court competition has been helpful and important while handling issues in multiple disputes and situations around the globe. I remain thankful and grateful for the competition and hope others have similarly memorable experiences.”
Advocate PHETOLE PATRICK SEKHULA
“I took part in 1992 North America Regional Round held at George Washington University while a student at Georgetown University Law Centre. The Moot Court was an exhilirating experience that refined my research, writing and case presentation skills. It boosted my confidence to pursue litigation and advocacy work in legal practice.
I presently serve on the South African Council for Space Affairs charged with ensuring a coherent regulatory framework for space activities in SA. I also participate in UNCOPOUS and other space-related fora on behalf of Government. Thank you very much for the rewarding experience.”