Preparing for the Vis Moot: Arbitration & Mediation Training in Kraków

For Ukrainian law students, participation in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot is more than a competition — it is an entry point into the global legal community. The Summer School in Kraków (15–19 Sept 2025) became another step in preparing for the Moot and learning directly from Europe’s leading experts.

Hosted by the Faculty of Law at Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie and organized in partnership with Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit e.V. (DIS) German Arbitration Institute, Deutsche Stiftung für internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit e.V. (IRZ), and the Center for International Dispute Resolution at Bucerius Law School (CIDR), the program supported the Ukrainian legal community and young arbitration professionals.

Teams joined from the Ukrainian Catholic University, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

Representing NaUKMA: Volodymyr Urbanovych, Yelyzaveta Ivanova, Hanna Shoiko, Kateryna Kryvytska, Maksym Baryshov, Veronika Nazarko, and Lecturer Diana Protsenko.

The faculty brought together distinguished experts, including:

• Dr. Maciej Durbas (KKG Legal / Jagiellonian University) — PhD, Partner and Head of the Arbitration Practice, with experience before leading arbitration institutions. Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London, and a regular recipient of awards from Lexology Index, Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, and Rzeczpospolita Daily.
• Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Kożuch (Jagiellonian University) — PhD, attorney-at-law and mediator, Vice-President of the Arbitration Court at the State Treasury of Poland, and author of books on EU law.
• Katja Kröll (Wirtschaftsmediation – Kröll) — commercial mediator, certified auditor, and tax consultant with over 20 years of professional experience. She conducts mediation training and provides mediation services for small and medium-sized enterprises, with a particular focus on business mediation for shareholders and family-owned companies.
• Prof. Dr. Stefan Kröll (Bucerius Law School / DIS) — Chair of the German Arbitration Institute (DIS) and Professor of International Dispute Resolution at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg. He is one of the Directors of the Vis Moot and serves as Germany’s National Correspondent to UNCITRAL on arbitration matters.
• Dr. Joseph Schwartz (WAGNER Arbitration) — German attorney, arbitrator, and counsel, recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in International Arbitration by Best Lawyers.
• Tobias Strecker (BODENHEIMER / LexMea.de) — dispute resolution lawyer at BODENHEIMER, has taught at leading universities worldwide (King’s College London, Humboldt University, University of Tokyo, University of Puerto Rico, and Hokkaido University). Co-founder of the platform LexMea.
• Dr. David Tebel (rothorn legal) — Partner at Rothorn Legal and an expert in international sales law. He is Co-Coordinator of the DIS Technology Group, Ambassador of Swiss Arbitration in Germany, Co-Chair of the VIAC Legal Tech Think Tank, and recognized as a Future Leader in arbitration.
• Alicja Zielińska-Eisen (Queritius / Humboldt University of Berlin) — Polish attorney-at-law, arbitrator, LL.M. program lecturer, and author of the book International Arbitration in Practice.

Program topics included: CISG, arbitration agreements, drafting memoranda, recognition of arbitral awards, ADR & mediation, and practical workshops.

The Summer School was an important step in strengthening international cooperation and preparing Ukrainian students to confidently compete on the global stage in dispute resolution.