This year’s event was hosted by the University of Namibia from 17–19 April 2026, marking a significant moment for the competition’s engagement with the African aviation ecosystem. The competition brought together leading law schools from around the world, continuing its tradition of fostering academic and professional collaboration through moot court advocacy.

International Air Law Conference

Ahead of the competition, the International Air Law Conference brought together academics, regulators, industry representatives, and practitioners to discuss current developments in aviation governance.

The conference featured in-depth discussions on contemporary legal and operational challenges, including regional connectivity and liberalization, the Cape Town Convention, drones and high-altitude operations, and the role of soft law in times of geopolitical and technological uncertainty.

The conference provided participants with an opportunity to reflect on the rapid evolution of the aviation sector and the increasingly complex legal frameworks required to support safe, efficient, and resilient aviation operations.

International Air Law Moot Court Competition

The 2026 case was authored by Chrystel Erotokritou and Sofia Stellatou. It focused on high-altitude operations, cyberattacks against CNS/ATM infrastructure, electronic interference through jamming and spoofing, unmanned aircraft system operations, and questions concerning speedy relief for third-party financiers under the Cape Town Convention framework.

More than 20 teams presented arguments from both Applicant and Respondent sides before distinguished experts during the semi-final rounds. After a closely contested series of rounds, McGill University, appearing as Applicant, and Leiden University, appearing as Respondent, advanced to the world final.

The final round was presided over by:

• Regula Dettling-Ott, Professor, Univeristy of Bern
• Lot Haifidi, Legal Advisor to the Namibia Airports Company
• Yvonne Dausab, Executive Dean, Faculty of Commerce, Management and Law, University of Namibia

Following deliberations, the judges awarded McGill University as the winner of the 2026 competition. Many congratulations to the champions. Congratulations also to Leiden University for their excellent performance as runners-up.

Awards

• Winner: Team 10 McGill University
• Runner-up: Team 20 Leiden University
• Best Memorial (Applicant): Leiden University & Adam Mickiewicz University
• Best Memorial (Respondent): Leiden University
• Best Team Oralist (Applicant): The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Best Team Oralist (Respondent): Singapore Management University
• Best Oralist: Yuk Wai Wong (McGill University)

Leiden University was proudly represented by Daphne Konstantina Politikou from Greece and Yuan (Joanna) Wu from China, both students of the Advanced LL.M. in Air and Space Law. The team was coached by Tuvana Aras (Ph.D. Candidate and alumna of the Advanced LL.M. in Air and Space Law) and Anmol Dhawan (alumnus of the Advanced LL.M. in Air and Space Law).

Acknowledgements

Special thanks go to the authors of this year’s case, Chrystel Erotokritou and Sofia Stellatou, as well as to the judges, organisers at the University of Namibia, participating teams, and all those who contributed to the success of this year’s competition.

Also many thanks to our sponsors Sarin & Co, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Studio Pierallini, DLA Piper, A&O Shearman, Croon Aviation Lawyers, Namibia Civil Aviation Authority, Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) and FlyNamibia.

This year’s event was hosted by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece. The competition brought together over 130 students and professionals from around the world, continuing the tradition of fostering academic and professional collaboration through moot court advocacy.

International Air Law Conference

Ahead of the competition, the Leiden IIASL International Air Law Conference took place on 24 April 2025. The event featured in-depth discussions on contemporary legal challenges including the interpretation of the Chicago Convention, sustainability efforts in Greece, and the balance between consumer protection and freedom of contract.

International Air Law Moot Court Competition

The 2025 case focused on issues in Air Law and Public International Law, intersecting with Competition Law and Environmental Law. Key topics included fair competition, mandates for sustainable aviation fuel, and the role of ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

A total of 15 teams from around the world traveled to Athens to participate in this year’s moot. After two days of semi-final rounds, the East China University of Political Science and Law (Applicant) faced National Law University, Jodhpur (Respondent) in the grand final.

Following deliberations, the judges awarded National Law University, Jodhpur as the winner of the 2025 competition. Many congratulations to the champions! Congratulations also to East China University of Political Science and Law for their excellent performance as runners-up.

Awards

• Best Memorial (Applicant): East China University of Political Science and Law
• Best Memorial (Respondent): National Law University, Jodhpur
• Best Oral Arguments (Applicant): National Law University, Jodhpur
• Best Oral Arguments (Respondent): National Law University, Jodhpur
• Best Oralist: Anshita Tiwari (National Law University, Jodhpur)

Leiden’s International Institute of Air and Space Law (IIASL) was delighted to co-organise the 15th edition of the Leiden-Sarin International Air Law Moot Court Competition alongside this year’s host, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City. The event brought together around 200 students and professionals from six continents under the collaboration agreement between UNAM and Leiden University.

International Air Law Conference

Prior to the competition, the Leiden IIASL International Air Law Conference was held on 17 April, during which the legal aspects of topics such as aviation cybersecurity, airports and aviation disasters were discussed at length. The conference was opened with remarks by Professors Steven Truxal (Director, International Institute of Air and Space Law), Leonardo Lomelí Vanegas (Rector, UNAM), Sonia Venegas Álvarez (Dean of the Faculty of Law, UNAM) and Mr Christopher Barks (Regional Director, North American, Central American and Caribbean Regional Office of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)). The conference took place at UNAM’s Antigua Escuela de Jurisprudencia in Mexico City's historic centre.

International Air Law Moot Court Competition

A total of 17 teams from all around the world travelled to Mexico City to participate in the competition.

Following two days of semi-finals, Leiden University (applicant) faced The Chinese University of Hong Kong (respondent) in the final. The final took place on 20 April at UNAM’s Faculty of Law and was judged by Michael Gill (Director, Legal Affairs & External Relations, ICAO), Carlos Sierra (Managing Partner, Abogados Sierra and Professor, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)) and Nuhad Ponce Kuri (President, Asociación Nacional de Abogados de Empresa). After lengthy deliberations, the bench returned to announce the winner: The Chinese University of Hong Kong! Many congratulations to the winning team!

• Best memorial applicant: National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
• Best memorial respondent: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Best oral arguments applicant: Leiden University
• ​​​​​​​Best oral arguments respondent: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• ​​​​​​​Best oralist: Liubomir Bahah (National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy)

The International Institute of Air and Space Law was delighted to host the 14th edition of the Leiden-Sarin International Air Law Moot Court Competition – for the first time – in Leiden! After three years of online mooting owing to the pandemic, this year’s competition was held again in person.

Enjoy the trip down memory lane with this video!

This year’s case concerned the use of weapons against civil aircraft, aviation cybersecurity and dual registration of civil aircraft. Prior to the competition, IIASL was delighted to host the International Air Law Conference on Aviation Cybersecurity.

Sixteen teams qualified and ultimately 14 teams travelled to Leiden from around the world to participate in the semi-finals of the competition, which was opened in the Groot Auditorium by Minister Mark Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management) and Alderman Fleur Spijker (Alderman of the City of Leiden). Over two days, teams delivered four rounds of oral pleadings in the Old Observatory. The finals took place on the 14 May in the Lorentzzaal, between University of Cologne as the applicant and McGill University as the respondent. The final rounds were judged by a distinguished bench: Marc Nichols (Chief Counsel of the US Federal Aviation Administration), Jeffrey Shane (former General Counsel for the International Air Transport Association) and Dr Gérardine Goh Escolar (Deputy Secretary General, Hague Conference on Private Law). After the deliberation of the judges, the team representing McGill University was declared the winner of the competition. Many congratulations to both teams!

Best memorial applicant: University of Cologne

Best memorial respondent: McGill University

Best oral arguments applicant: University of Cologne and McGill University (tie)

Best oral arguments respondent: Leiden University