Seventeenth Leiden-Sarin International Air Law Moot Court Competition
The Leiden-Sarin International Air Law Moot Court Competition, organised annually by the International Institute of Air and Space Law (IIASL), Leiden University, The Netherlands, and the Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation, brings together leading law schools from across the world to debate pressing legal challenges facing modern aviation. The 17th edition was held from in April at the University of Namibia, with a particular focus on engaging with the African aviation ecosystem.
The competition was preceded by the Leiden IIASL International Air Law Conference, which brought together academics, regulators, industry representatives, and practitioners to discuss current developments in aviation governance. Sessions focused on regional connectivity and liberalisation, the Cape Town Convention, drones and high-altitude operations, and the role of soft law in times of geopolitical and technological uncertainty.
The 2026 moot court case, authored by Chrystel Erotokritou and Sofia Stellatou, focused on high-altitude operations (HAO), cyberattacks against CNS/ATM infrastructure, electronic interference through jamming and spoofing, unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations, and questions concerning speedy relief for third-party financiers under the Cape Town Convention framework.
As aviation systems become increasingly digitalised and interconnected, issues such as cyber resilience, communications integrity, and the safe integration of new airspace users are becoming central to both operational and legal discussions. The competition, therefore, provided participants with an opportunity to engage directly with the challenges currently faced by regulators, ANSPs, airlines, financiers, and the broader aviation industry.
More than 20 teams presented arguments from both Applicant and Respondent sides before distinguished experts in the semi-final rounds, with two eventually proceeding to the world final: McGill University (as Applicant) and Leiden University (as Respondent). In a closely contested final round presided over by Regula Dettling-Ott (Professor, University of Bern), Lot Hafidi (Legal Advisor, Namibia Airports Company), and Yvonne Dausab (Executive Dean, Faculty of Commerce, Management and Law, UNAM), McGill University was adjudged the winning team, with Leiden University receiving awards for Runners-Up, Best Written Memorials (Applicant), and Best Written Memorials (Respondent).
The Leiden University team, represented by Air and Space Law LL.M. students Daphne Konstantina Politikou (Greece) and Yuan (Joanna) Wu (China), shared that preparation began nearly six months before the competition with extensive research, drafting, and refinement of written arguments. The team spent three months refining their oral advocacy alongside their coaches, Anmol Dhawan (alumnus of the Air and Space Law LL.M. program) and Tuvana Aras (Ph.D. Candidate at IIASL), through more than 40 practice rounds.
The students reflected on how their experience with the competition has shaped their approach to complex legal and policy issues, while also demonstrating the level of preparation, collaboration, and adaptability required in international aviation practice. Equally important was the experience of working as part of a multicultural team across diverse legal traditions, work cultures, and perspectives – an increasingly vital skill in the aviation sector. Participants appreciated the opportunity to network with representatives from leading airlines, air navigation service providers, civil aviation authorities, law firms, regulatory bodies, and academic institutions at the event.
As aviation continues to evolve in response to technological innovation and emerging operational risks, initiatives that bring together students and stakeholders to engage with contemporary challenges in a practical and interdisciplinary environment remain increasingly important. The Leiden-Sarin International Air Law Moot Court continues to provide a valuable platform for cultivating the next generation of aviation professionals while strengthening engagement between academia and the broader aviation industry.
For CANSO members, the Moot Court and the Air Law Conference offer a meaningful opportunity. Through participation as speakers, judges, sponsors, or mentors, CANSO members can not only strengthen ties with academia and help shape future aviation professionals and leaders, but also further multi-stakeholder dialogue on emerging legal and operational perspectives regarding the challenges facing the global ATM community.
The 18th edition of the competition will be hosted by the Faculty of Law, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, in Spring 2027.
