On the morning of November 25,2023, the second round of the 1st CUPL CESL International Legal Talent Competition was held at the Haidian campus of China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL). This competition was hosted by CUPL, organized by the China-EU School of Law (CESL), and supported by Zhong Lun Law Firm and the CUPL Education Foundation.
Hu Ming, Council Chair of CUPL, and Gaoyan, Secretary General of Zhong Lun Charity Foundation, attended the opening ceremony. All participants and referees from Zhong Lun Law Firm, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (USA), Beijing Office, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (UK), Beijing Office, Clifford Chance LLP Beijing Office, Global Law Office, Dowway & Partners, Tsinghua University and CUPL, attended the opening ceremony. Huang Ruiyu, Vice Chair of CUPL, presided over the ceremony and Hu Ming delivered a speech.
The Competition attracted widespread attention from law students in major universities across the country. It consisted of two rounds, preliminary and final rounds, conducted entirely in English. A total of 99 participants from 56 law schools nationwide advanced to the preliminary round. Following evaluation by domestic and international experts, 48 students from 32 law schools proceeded to the final competition in Beijing. The final round assessed the participants' capabilities in international legal governance via corporate compliance solutions, international negotiation simulation, legal English speeches related to international law, and commercial arbitration simulation.
On the afternoon of November 26, the closing ceremony and award presentation took place. Shi Jianzhong, Vice President of CUPL, and Zhang Xuebing, Director of Zhong Lun Law Firm, delivered the closing remarks and presented awards to the winners. Referees from Zhong Lun Law Firm, Mercedes-Benz (China) Investment Co., Ltd., Guantao Law Firm, and CUPL, as well as the participating contestants, attended the closing ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by Liu Fei, the Chinese Co-Dean of CESL.
The competition awarded three participants with the first prize for outstanding foreign-related legal talents, five with the second prize, and ten with the third prize. Additionally, two students were recognized with the "Best International Legal Talent Style and Demeanor Award". The awardees also received the "Zhong Lun Outstanding International Legal Talent Scholarship."
