GRANT PROPOSAL FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ROUNDS OF JESSUP 2025
UNIVERSITY OF SÃO PAULO’S TEAM
FOR THE PHILIP C. JESSUP INTERNATIONAL LAW MOOT COURT COMPETITION
WHAT IS JESSUP?
The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (‘Competition’) is a mock trial competition simulating the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the main judicial body of the United Nations. The competition was founded by Harvard University in 1960 on the initiative of two American professors, Richard Baxter and Stephen Schwebel, the latter having himself served as a judge of the Court years later. Since then, it has become the oldest and largest mock trial competition in the world, bringing together over 600 universities from about 90 countries each year. It is currently organized by the International Law Students Association (ILSA) and sponsored by White & Case LLP International Law Firm, Global Law Practice.
The Competition is structured around a fictional dispute between two States before the ICJ, usually concerning matters controversial in international legal scholarship. The students are responsible for strategizing the arguments of each party and later presenting them in the form of written and oral submissions. For the latter, the Competition takes place in two separate rounds: national and international. Only the champion and, eventually, the runner up of the national rounds are eligible to participate in the international rounds, held in Washington, D.C. The international rounds are organized along the Annual Meeting of the American Society of International Law, the largest international law event in the world.
As in previous years, funding is essential to enable our team’s participation in the competition. Without financial support, we will not be able to represent Brazil in the International Rounds, as we have traditionally done in recent years.
Regarding the international rounds, the team's expenses for travel and stay in Washington D.C., including flights, meals, accommodation, and transportation, and considering the dollar converted based on the exchange rate in February (R$5.78), are estimated at:
2025 INTERNATIONAL ROUNDS
| INDIVIDUAL | TEAM |
VISA AND PASSPORT RENEWAL | - | $ 397,92 |
FLIGHT TICKETS | $ 951,55 | $ 7.612,00 |
ACCOMMODATION | $ 389,27 | $ 3.114,00 |
FOOD | $ 259,51 | $ 1.557,09 |
TRANSPORTATION | $ 43,25 | $ 259,51 |
TOTAL | $ 1.643,58 | $ 12.941,17 |
WHY FUNDING US?
We consider moot courts an essential experience for law students. First, they allow us to meet people from all over the world, expanding our horizons by getting in touch with multiple cultural backgrounds and perspectives of what it means to be a lawyer. Second, moot courts contribute to the development of essential hard skills for our future career, such as problem-solving, research and public speaking.
Our team is formed exclusively by LLB students from Universidade de São Paulo, a Brazilian public and tuition-free university. Following its principles, we are committed with equality in education. We come from different social, financial, and geographic backgrounds. However, where we come from, it is not common practice for universities to fund student organizations, as their budget is limited and directed towards general maintenance. The high cost of traveling and registering for student competitions, then, is ours to cover. To make sure all students have the opportunity to participate in the project, then, we rely integrally on financial aid.
In general, international competitions’ costs are an extreme burden for teams from the Global South. Consider, for example, that Brazil’s minimum wage is of only 1,212 BRL (approximately US$ 224 p/m). This year, we have estimated costs at over 14,000 U.S. dollars, roughly 80,000 Brazilian reais, an enormous amount for students mainly dedicated to their academic activities.
Our university has a long and successful history in the Competition, having won the national championship four times (2018, 2021, 2022, and 2024), reached the historic milestone of being the first and only Brazilian semifinalist in the international rounds in 2022 and 2024, and won several awards, including the “Best Respondent” award for the entire competition in 2023.
In the national phase of the 2025 edition, which took place this month in Brasília, the University of São Paulo team won the awards for Best Memorial, 2nd, 6th, and 8th best oralists, ranked first in the preliminary rounds, became a semifinalist, and qualified to represent Brazil in the international rounds.
OUR ACHIEVEMENTS
National Rounds
Campeão Nacional
2nd Best Memorial
Best Oralist
2nd Best Oralist
International Rounds
Best 32 Teams
3rd Melhor Best Oralist
2018
2021
2022
2023
2025
2024
National Rounds
Best Memorial
2nd Best Oralist
6th Best Oralist
8th Best Oralist
Semifinalist - 3rd Best Team
National Rounds
National Champions
4th Best Written Submissions
Best Oralist
2nd Best Oralist
International Rounds
Top 48 Teams
60th Best Oralist
National Rounds
National Champion
Runner Up Best Written Submissions
Best Oralist
6th Best Oralist
International Rounds
Top 4 Teams - Semifinalists
40th Best Oralist of the Competition
National Rounds
Runner Up Champion
Best Written Submissions
Best Oralist
3rd Best Oralist
International Rounds
Top 16 Teams - Octofinalist
22nd Best Oralist of the Competition
10th place at the Alona E. Evans Award
Best Respondent Side
National Rounds
National Champion
4th Best Written Submissions
4th Best Oralist
9th Best Oralist
International Rounds
Top 4 Teams - Semifinalists
27th Place at Alona E. Evans Award
“MOOTIES”
OUR TEAM
ARTHUR PICHELLI UEDA
Arthur is a 8th semester undergraduate student at USP's LLB and at USP International Undergraduate Program (PITES) with a double degree at Université Lumière Lyon II. In 2023, He took a semestral exchange program at Université Lumière Lyon II. He is currently a member of the Center for International Studies (NEI-USP) and an intern at the UNO International Trade, a international commerce specialized law firm. He participated as an Oralist for USP’s Team in 2022 and 2023 and received 20th Best Oralist of the Competition Award in 2023.
Carol is a 2nd Semester undergraduate student at USP’s LLB. She is currently an administrative intern at USP’s Judicial department, a student council which provides legal assistance to São Paulo’s population. She also teaches Liberal Arts at Cursinho Popular Arcadas and is a member of the USP’s Government Research Group, a center for research related to political debate and institutional policies where she serves as Institutional Relations Representative. She was a member of the Brazilian delegation at The Pad Project from 2022 to 2023.
CAROLINA SANCHEZ DUTRA
ANDRÉ BARRETO TÁVORA
André is a 6th semester undergraduate student at USP’s LLB. He is a member of the Center for International Studies (NEI-USP) and is currently an intern at the 14th Public Court of São Paulo’s Central Courthouse. He was a researcher for USP’s Team in 2024 and participated in the XVIII Winter Course of International law and the 21st Brazilian Congress of International Law. He is a researcher with the Inter-American Human Rights System Research Group (CÁTEDRA OEA) and a demonstrator at the undergraduate course of constitutional law.
“MOOTIES”
OUR TEAM
JOÃO PEDRO DA SILVA SALOMÉ
João Pedro is a 8th semester undergraduate student at USP's LLB and and at USP International Undergraduate Program (PITES) with a double degree at Université Lumière Lyon II. He previously graduated his BA at USP School of Liberal Arts (FFLCH), where he participated at the undergraduate research program in the field of political science and comparative democracy. He currently teaches sociology for low-income students at Cursinho Laudelina and is a member of USP’s Commercial Law Research Group. He participated at the Brazilian Competition Law Moot Court Competition (WI-CADE) in 2023 and received the Runner Up Best Oralist Award.
Davy is a 2nd semester undergraduate student at USP's LLB. He is a member of the Center for International Studies (NEI-USP) and of the USP’S Negotiation Program (PEN-USP). He is currently an intern at the Office of Executions against São Paulo State Public Treasury. He was a member of USP’s team in the Brazilian Arbitration and Negotiation Moot Court Competition (CAMARB) in 2024 and received the regional rounds champion title and the Best Mediator Award.
DAVY VIEIRA MARQUES DE OLIVEIRA
COACHES
OUR TEAM
BÁRBARA DE SOUSA BRAZ
Bárbara has just recently graduated her LLB at USP and is currently a lawyer in São Paulo, at Machado Meyer Advogados. She was an Oralist for USP’s Team in 2022 and 2023 and Coach in 2024. She has also previously participated in the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition and the Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition.
FELIPE MARTINS ANAWATE
Felipe is a 8th semester undergraduate student at USP’s LLB and at USP International Undergraduate Program (PITES) with double degree at Université Lyon Jean Moulin 3. In 2023, he took a exchange undergraduate program at Sciences Po Paris - Campus Reims and received a Certificate of Social Sciences and Humanities Cum Laude. He is a member and coordinator of the Center for International Studies (NEI-USP) since 2022 and was a student-researcher at Fundação Getúlio Vargas School of Public Law Formation (SBDP-FGV), having published his research thesis. He was a researcher and oralist for USP’s Team in 2023. He previously participated in the Nelson Mandela World Moot Court Competition.
MARIANA CAROLINE SILVA AGUIAR
Mariana is a 8th semester undergraduate student at USP’s LLB and at USP International Undergraduate Program (PITES) with double degree at Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3. In 2024, She took the exchange undergraduate program for the Masters program of Paris School of International Affairs (Sciences Po Paris). She is a currently a research intern at USP Institute for Global Law (ID Global) and editor of the USP’s Commercial Law Review (RDM). She is a researcher at the Inter-American Human Rights System Research Group (CÁTEDRA OEA) and participated at the undergraduate research program in the field of international climate litigation and human rights. She was a researcher for USP’s Team in 2023 and was a bailiff at the French National Rounds in 2024.
SUGGESTED PLANS
GRANT PROPOSAL
BRONZE
Mentioning our Sponsor in Facebook and Instagram posts
"Liking" and leaving 5-star ratings on the Sponsor's social media pages
Publicizing our gratefulness to the contributions and potential training sessions on social media
Potential participation as a guest in our practice sessions
US$ 400.00
SILVER
Bronze benefits +
Using the Sponsor's logo on cards and briefcases used by the Team in the national rounds of the competition
US$ 800.00
GOLD
Silver benefits +
Talking to applicants for the Sponsor's career selection programs about its support for student initiatives and young professionals
Posting in our team’s social media the Sponsor’s internship opportunities and events
US$ 1,200.00
PLATINUM
Gold benefits +
Using the Sponsor's logo on cards and briefcases used by the Team in the international rounds of the competition
Participating in internship fairs on behalf of the Sponsor, advertising its support for student initiatives and young professionals
US$ 1,600.00
barbara.braz@alumni.usp.br
marianacaroline.aguiar@usp.br
felipe.anawate@usp.br
Phone
+55 11 99331-9496
@NEI.USP