Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004
From: Hew Dundas
Subject: 1st WILLEM C VIS MOOT (EAST)

Dear Glenn,

This e-mail is a directed to the Committee of the East Asian Branch of the CIArb and you are welcome to circulate it further - I have sent it to those committee members for whom I have e-mail addresses.

First, I must congratulate your branch for its powerful support of the first East Moot in Hong Kong, an event the magnitude of whose significance is only slowly dawning on me and, I suspect, on others. You need only consider that we had a mere 14 teams competing whereas in Vienna next month, the 11th Moot, there will be over 140. One of the major aims of the CIArb and of its branches is to promote arbitration and, it seems to me, the extraordinary power of the Moot is to promote arbitration at the very grassroots level of the law schools around the world and, in doing so, your Branch has, in my respectful submission, recorded one of the most (probably THE most) outstanding achievements of any branch of the CIArb in any regard.

I say this in all sincerity, being a member of the Committees of both the London and Scottish branches: we all do what we do but primarily on a local scale and, I hope others will agree, we do that reasonably successfully (e.g. the London Branch organises a loss-making biennial, very high-profile, very well-regarded conference). However, your Branch's achievement in respect of the Moot vastly transcends any small contribution either of my two branches have ever made, even the Scottish Branch's significant contribution to the reform of arbitration law in Scotland. I spoke at length to several of the teams, particularly the Chinese and the Indians and took away a powerful message of the intensity with which they regarded the competition and the significant effect of the converse message put back into their respective communities by their being able to participate in the Moot.

This represents an enormously significant achievement by the Branch and, of course by Louise as the prime mover. I close by repeating my warmest congratulations to the Branch for its support of what will undoubtedly become an annual event at least as significant as the Vienna Moot and, in 10 years' time, when you and I and your colleagues (by then grey-haired and grizzled and me, no doubt, with a zimmer frame) attend the CIArb-hosted Welcome Reception for 140 teams in Hong Kong with more than 1,000 contestants from all over Asia and the rest of the world, we will then realise, if not before (but I think I have already) the extraordinary magnitude of what has been achieved in the last few days.

On a personal level, it was an enormous pleasure and a huge privilege to visit Hong Kong and be part of something quite so valuable, intense, spectacular and wonderful; it was also a great privilege to be allowed to address the Branch and it was a pleasure to be fed quite so magnificently afterwards. I look forward to meeting you all again at the second East Moot in 2005.

With very best wishes

Hew (Hew Dundas, Scotland)

Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004
From: David Huebner
To: Louise Barrington

Dear Louise:

Congratulations on such a marvelous first Vis in Hong Kong. The teams were inspiring, the logistics were seamless, and I thoroughly enjoyed participating. I very much look forward to becoming a "regular" and to assisting as I and my Firm can.

Again, thanks to you and your team for the hard work and vision that clearly went into creating such a special event.

Best regards,

David Huebner
Chairman
Coudert Brothers
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.

Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004
From: John Felemegas
Subject: Inaugural Vis (East) Moot
To: Louise Barrington
 

Dear Professor Louise Barrington,

Following the well attended and very successful First Vis (East) Moot held in Hong Kong recently, I am writing to congratulate you and your team for the excellent organisation of that event at City University, Hong Kong.

The annual Vis Moot in Vienna has built a fine tradition of bringing together students, scholars and practitioners from all around the world, providing a bridge of common understanding and discourse on international sales law and arbitration procedure, over the different legal traditions and systems in the originating countries of the participants. The inaugural Vis (East) Moot in Hong Kong continued that fine tradition in an atmosphere of healthy competition among students and warm collegiality among arbitrators.

As an arbitrator participating in the First Vis (East) Moot and also as a guest of City University, Hong Kong, I would like to thank you for the tireless effort that you expended in organising such an important event so well. I was impressed with the quality of the competition, the smooth administrative running of the entire event, as well as the warm and courteous hospitality afforded to us during our visit to Hong Kong, from the first to the last day of the event. Mr. Philip Yang, Chairman of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, was courteous in making us feel welcome at the Opening ceremony and Cocktail event (18/3) and Mr. Raymond Ho, of Fred Kan & Co. Solicitors, provided friendly and engaging conversation at our dinner table during the final Gala (21/3). Special mention must also be made of Mrs. Patricia Barrington, whose smiling face and gentle demeanor during the Moot and at the social events deserve to be noted.

May the Vis (East) Moot continue successfully in the future the fine tradition which began this year at City University, Hong Kong.

I look forward to participating again as arbitrator in the next Vis (East) Moot.

Kind regards
John Felemegas

Dr. John Felemegas
Lecturer
Faculty of Law
University of Technology, Sydney

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