UPH Law School's Jessup Team Goes Global, Competing Among the World's Best Law Schools

Universitas Pelita Harapan's 2026 Philip C. Jessup MCC Team, Washington D.C., USA.

The Faculty of Law team at Universitas Pelita Harapan (FH UPH) has once again achieved an outstanding accomplishment on the global stage. After being crowned First Runner Up, 2nd Best Applicant Memorial, and 2nd Best Combined Memorial in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (Jessup) Indonesian National Rounds 2026 this past February, the FH UPH Jessup team advanced to the international rounds held in Washington, D.C., United States. In this prestigious competition, they secured a place among the top 58 teams in the world out of 164 competing teams, while also emerging as the highest-ranked team from Indonesia.

The FH UPH team consists of Anjarico Marlienardo (FH UPH 2024), Michelle Chandra (FH UPH 2024), Secia Lie (FH UPH 2025), Gabriel Rhysson Febrianto (FH UPH 2025), Josephine Vivian Christy (FH UPH 2025), and Gissell Clarance Yutaka as a junior team member (FH UPH 2025).

Jessup is widely recognized as the oldest and largest moot court competition in the world, consistently attracting participation from over 700 universities across more than 100 countries. This year’s case, titled “The Gordian Gorge,” raised a number of significant issues in international law, including the interests of third states before international courts, the rights of indigenous peoples in mining projects, individual rights in extradition, and immunity of state-owned enterprises.

During the international rounds, the FH UPH team faced intense competition against national champions from various countries, including China, Ireland, and Mongolia. Each round demanded legal precision, strong advocacy, and both mental and physical endurance.

“Participating in Jessup has been an incredibly meaningful experience for us. We had the opportunity to appear before judges who are experts in international law, and we were challenged to present our arguments clearly and persuasively. Beyond the competition itself, this journey has taught us to understand the complexities of global law with a strong sense of responsibility,” said Anjarico Marlienardo.

Meanwhile, Josephine Vivian Christy highlighted the intensity of their preparation process. She explained that Jessup tested them in every aspect, where consistent practice, in-depth discussions, and mutual support played a crucial role in handling pressure. According to her, “success in the legal field is not determined solely by intellectual ability, but also by mental resilience and perseverance.”

This achievement would not have been possible without the guidance of dedicated coaches and mentors, including Jessica Los Banos, Bill Sullivan, Jason Bonin, Jennifer Junardi Chua, Davi Rafa Radhitya Pandi, Arianne Kumara, Louisa Syaura Amalia Mononutu, Andrew Daniel Djapri, Olivia Karlina, Christelle Clairine Siregar, Kayla Latisya Faza, Cloudio Ardelle Hitipeuw, Gerald Adrian Maden, and Clement Alexander Djuli. The unwavering support from the International Law Moot Court Community (ILMCC) UPH also served as a strong foundation for the team’s journey.

In addition, the FH UPH team’s participation in the international rounds was supported by various sponsors who played a vital role in making their participation possible, including Nusantara Legal Partnership, Mandiri Tunas Finance, PT Tunas Ridean, Assegaf Hamzah & Partners Law Firm, and SSEK Law Firm.

This achievement is expected to inspire other law students to continue developing their skills and actively uphold the values of justice on the global stage. It also reflects FH UPH’s commitment to producing graduates who are grounded in faith, academically excellent, and ready to make a meaningful impact at both national and international levels.

Congratulations to the FH UPH Jessup Team on this remarkable achievement. May you continue to uphold integrity and bring pride to Indonesia on the world stage.