USD Law VICAM Team Makes Landmark First-Ever Semifinal Run at 2026 Vis East Moot in Hong Kong
University of San Diego (USD) School of Law’s Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (VICAM) team achieved a historic milestone at the 2026 Vis East Moot in Hong Kong, which was held from March 15-22, as they advanced to the semifinals for the first time in program history.
Competing against 161 teams from 37 jurisdictions, USD VICAM advanced through four general rounds to reach the Round of 32, where they met Ateneo de Manila University School of Law. VICAM continued on to the Round of 16, where they faced Cornell Law School, and then to the quarterfinals against the National Law School of India University. VICAM’s strong performance ultimately led them to the semifinals, where they faced Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin as one of the final four teams.
“I am incredibly proud to see VICAM advance to the semifinals of such a prestigious competition—this achievement reflects not only the entire team’s talent, but their discipline, resilience, and countless hours of preparation,” said Juhi Tanniru (3L), president of USD’s VICAM team. “Over the past year, VICAM has reached several major milestones, and this moment is a testament to the collective dedication and excellence that defines our team.”
Coached by Professor David Brennan ’03 (LLM) through a concentrated international arbitration course, the VICAM team was the last remaining U.S. program by the time it reached the quarterfinals and also earned an honorable mention for Best Claimant Memorandum, marking USD’s first recognition in the category since 2016. The memorandum was written by Sophie Malam (2L), Olivia Meier (2L), student-coach Danielle Nead-Work (3L), and Tanniru with edits provided by Editor-in-Chief Nicole Parks (4P). Alexis Hughes (3L) and Makena St. Amant (2L) also received honorable mentions for Best Oral Advocate. Over the course of the academic year, VICAM members dedicate extensive time to preparing written memoranda and refining oral advocacy skills alongside coursework and professional commitments.
The Vis East Moot brings together law students from around the world to participate in simulated international arbitration proceedings. It is the sister competition to the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria.
Supporting the VICAM program plays a critical role in enabling students to compete on the global stage. If you’re interested in contributing, we invite you to click here to learn more.
About the School of Law
Each year, USD Law educates approximately 800 Juris Doctor and graduate law students from throughout the United States and around the world. The law school is best known for its offerings in the areas of business and corporate law, constitutional law, intellectual property, international and comparative law, public interest law and taxation.
USD School of Law is one of the 88 law schools elected to the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for law school graduates. The law school’s faculty is a strong group of outstanding scholars and teachers with national and international reputations and currently ranks 34th nationally among U.S. law faculties in scholarly impact and 35th nationally in past-year faculty downloads on the Social Sciences Research Network (SSRN). The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.