The USD Vis Moot Commercial Arbitrations Team relies principally on the generosity of our donors and sponsors. We have been exceptionally fortunate over the past years to have such great support from the San Diego legal community. Volunteer arbiters and coaches have come from a number of local law firms and organizations, and we thank you all for your active participation and ongoing support.

The USD School of Law has also been very supportive each year. The faculty have been generous donating their time to provide academic instruction and coaching, and the school has also helped fund some of the team’s administrative costs.

However, we project that less than 2 percent of our total operating costs will be funded directly by the university. All student members must pay for their own international travel, as well as self-fund much of the annual Thorsnes Pre-Moot competition held each February. To that end, we are especially grateful to the members of the San Diego legal community that have donated money to help us develop and grow this team.

• Jeff Krinsk, Finkelstein & Krinsk, LLP
• Mike Thorsnes, Thorsnes, Bartolotta & McGuire, LLP (http://www.tbmlawyers.com/)
• Lynne Lasry, Sandler, Lasry, Laube, Byer & Valdez, LLP (http://www.sllbv.com/)

Fundraising, although necessary for the continued health of our organization, takes away from our principle purpose of fostering international communication and providing valuable skills training to young future attorneys. Each year, our team produces many of the most accomplished members of graduating class of the University of San Diego School of Law and students who possess the tools to substantially contribute to the San Diego legal community even as junior associates. Our team remains committed to giving our members the best possible chance to succeed at competition. Although, we are in search of alternative sources of funding, such as grants, however we have been unsuccessful in our efforts so far. We our continued vitality depends on the generosity of private donors such as yourself and we really need your support.

If you’re a lawyer or represent a law firm that in interested in developing connections to the top students and practicioners in international commercial disputes from around the country and the world, both for recruiting as well as networking, then please consider helping the USD Vis Moot Team. It is also a great (and rare) opportunity for you to practice and develop your own skills in international commercial arbitration by serving as a coach/arbiter, without risking a client’s position in the process.

We always need enthusiastic coaches and arbiters to help us prepare for, and judge, our competitions. And we especially need donations to help our team host out own pre-moot here in San Diego, and to travel to international competitions.

Thank you for your consideration.

Very Truly Yours,

The 2008-2009 Univesity of San Diego Vis Moot International Commerical Arbitrations Team

The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot is sponsored by the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) / American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Arbitral Centre of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Chicago International Dispute Resolution Association (CIDRA), Court of International Commercial Arbitration, Romania, German Institution of Arbitration (DIS), the International Chamber of Commerce, JAMS, the London Court of International Arbitration, the Moot Alumni Association (MAA), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), Swiss Chambers' Arbitration, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the University of Vienna Faculty of Law.