SMU Dedman Law Team Excels at International Arbitration Competition in Vienna
Four students from SMU Dedman School of Law competed in the 32nd annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, held April 11–17 in Vienna, Austria, advancing further than any SMU team in the school’s history.
The team—composed of third-year law students Cameron Bonk, Ellie Sherwood, Kyle Mann and Nicholas Smetzer—placed in the top 64 out of more than 400 teams from 88 countries. They were one of only five U.S. teams to reach that level in this year’s global competition. The team was coached by Professor Carla Reyes, with Skyanne Simonson '23 serving as assistant coach.
Bonk also earned an honorable mention for oral advocacy, placing among the top individual speakers out of more than 2,500 participants.
The Vis Moot is one of the world’s most prestigious competitions for law students, aimed at promoting the study and practice of international commercial sales law and arbitration. Each year, students argue a dispute based on a fictional contract between companies in different countries, governed by the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The case is resolved through arbitration under rules that rotate annually among co-sponsoring institutions.
“Being a member of the Vis Moot team has been the highlight of my law school experience,” said Sherwood.
The competition serves as a practical training tool for students, reflecting the business community’s preference for resolving international disputes through arbitration. The team’s participation was made possible through generous support from HKA and the SMU Rowling Center for Business Law & Leadership.
“With the resources of HKA’s preeminent international arbitration practice, we are pleased to support the SMU Vis team and develop the international arbitration leaders of tomorrow,” said Adam Wingard, partner at HKA.
This year’s performance marks a milestone for SMU Dedman School of Law as it continues to expand its global legal education offerings and prepare students for careers in international and cross-border practice.