Press Releases
Cambodian Team Reaches Semi-Finals of International Legal Competition
Released in Phnom Penh, April 10, 2009
A team from the Royal University of Law and Economics reached the semi-finals of the International Client Counseling Competition, a prestigious international legal tournament held in the United States on April 1-4.
The U.S.-funded team, only the second team Cambodia has fielded at the ICCC, finished better in the English-language competition than teams from Canada, New Zealand and Scotland, among other countries.
By reaching the semi-finals, teammates Miss Tan Tepi Kanika, 20, and Miss Theng Tith Maria, 19, progressed farther in the tournament than last year’s Cambodia team, which was eliminated in the first round despite impressing judges.
“It was a great opportunity to meet students from all over the world and to share thoughts about our legal studies and experiences,” Theng Tith Maria said upon returning to Phnom Penh on April 9.
The four-day competition placed teams in a simulated legal-office environment, with actors standing in as clients and a panel of legal experts judging their performance. Nineteen countries participated in the event, which was held at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Tan Tepi Kanika and Theng Tith Maria won the right to represent Cambodia by finishing first in the Cambodian Client Counseling Competition in January. The United States, through USAID, funded the national competition and the winning team’s travels to Las Vegas in order to teach students practical skills to help them in future careers as legal professionals.
“It was a terrific experience,” Tan Tepi Kanika said. “I hope to participate in more international competitions like this in the future. “
The funding is part of USAID’s Program on Rights and Justice, a five-year $20 million program designed to strengthen the rule of law and promote human rights in Cambodia.
