Two students from the University of Mumbai Law Academy (UMLA), Arya Gautam (5th year) and Sanskriti Sharma (4th year), have secured the top global rank in the inaugural World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Intellectual Property (IP) Moot Court Competition, the officials said on Tuesday.
It said that the impressive achievement was achieved under the guidance of Dr. Rajeshri N. Varhadi, Director of UMLA, is a significant milestone for the university on the international stage.
The WIPO IP Moot Court Competition was organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, a specialised United Nations (UN) agency that aims to raise awareness and encourage innovation in intellectual property law among young legal students, the statement said.
The competition had two stages. In the first stage, teams submitted video presentations, with only 18 teams advancing to the next round. In the second stage, participants argued a complex legal case in virtual oral rounds, held from February 25 to 27, 2025.
The officials said that Arya and Sanskriti excelled, securing the top rank among teams from prestigious institutions like the University of Sao Paulo (2nd), National Law University Delhi (3rd), and the University of Ottawa (4th). Their success puts UMLA at the forefront of global legal education.
The final rounds of the competition will be held at the WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from April 23 to April 25, 2025.
The teams will tackle advanced legal issues on emerging topics such as generative AI and copyright law. The competition includes participants from countries including Canada, Brazil, Sweden, the UK, and France, the statement said.
“The remarkable accomplishment reflects UMLA’s commitment to academic excellence and its dedication to nurturing world-class legal professionals. Arya and Sanskriti’s achievement is a testament to their hard work and the university’s vision for global impact in legal education,” the University of Mumbai Law Academy statement said.
