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Bucerius Law School narrowly loses in the moot court against UHH!
On October 14, 2025, Bucerius Law School lost in the Hamburg Moot Court of the University of Hamburg despite excellent individual evaluations.
Bucerius Law School narrowly loses in the moot court against UHH!
This year's Hamburg Criminal Law Moot Court, which took place on October 14, 2025, ended with an exciting competition between Bucerius Law School and the University of Hamburg (UHH). While the Bucerius Law School achieved first place in the individual presentations, it only lost by one point in the overall ranking. law-school.de reports that Dr. Marc Tully, President of the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court, chaired the hearing.
This year, a fictitious case was heard that covered topics such as fraud, arson and insurance abuse. Eight students from Bucerius Law School represented the prosecution, while nine students from UHH took on the defense. The aspiring lawyers had written extensive briefs, and three members of the Bucerius Law School presented their arguments in a two-hour hearing before a prominent bench of judges.
Relevant topics and legal questions
The case involved complex legal issues, including prosecutorial bias and criminal liability for arson. The court overturned the first instance judgment and referred the case back to another criminal chamber. The Senate found that the findings on broker fraud were incomplete and pointed out the importance of assessing the damage. Law Hamburg adds that BGH judge Marc Wenske commented on the public prosecutor's duty of objectivity, which further intensified the discussion about the legal framework.
Bucerius Law School emerged winless in this competition, a first for the institution. However, Torben Kiesewetter from the 2022 class was able to take first place in the individual ratings and was recognized for his outstanding performance. In addition, all team members received book vouchers in recognition of their efforts.
A look at the past
The Hamburg Criminal Law Moot Court took place for the eighth time in 2025 and was chaired by Prof. Dr. Karsten Gaede and Prof. Dr. Paul Krell organized it with the support of numerous practitioners. In an earlier event that took place on June 15, 2023 in the plenary hall of the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court, a UHH team fought for victory. Rika Behn was recognized as the best with her plea, while Valerie-Jo Struck took third place.
A moot court, as explained by Law Münster, is a simulated court case that allows law students to refine their argumentation and rhetoric. The focus is on the practical application of legal theories. The participants act as lawyers for various litigants and have to deal with complex issues.
Participation in a moot court not only offers the opportunity to deepen your specialist knowledge, but also promotes key skills such as teamwork, communication and organization.