History in the making: Teams from across Europe compete in the first moot court on European whistleblowing law
16 March 2026
The inaugural edition of the Myers Moot Court Competition took place on 28 February 2026, at the Four Courts in Dublin, Ireland.
Inside the courtrooms of the Four Courts in Dublin, where justice is shaped in the Irish capital, on the last day of February 2026, nine teams from four different countries competed to become the winners of Europe’s first-ever competition exclusively dedicated to whistleblowing law - the Myers Moot Court Competition.
“Today, you are part of making history. This is the very first moot court competition on European whistleblowing law, a field that didn’t really even exist six years ago”, said Dr Vigjilenca Abazi, the Executive Director and Co-founder of the European Whistleblowing Institute (EWI), in her opening remarks. She emphasized that “now, we see cases emerging in front of the Court of Justice of the European Union and whistleblowing becoming not only part of defending an employee’s right to speak up but very much part and parcel of the rule of law and accountability.”
EWI established the Myers Moot Court Competition to inspire the next generation of whistleblowing law professionals. EWI’s decision to name the moot court in tribute to Anna Myers, a lawyer and advocate whose work continues to shape whistleblowing laws and practice globally, is an effort to link generations of lawyers and to embed the next generation in a longer tradition. This competition both recognizes Anna Myers’ leadership in whistleblowing and creates a lasting legacy for students across Europe who learn, compete, and build networks through this program.
“Today, some of the principles and things we consider law are things that Anna has written and advocated for almost three decades, including in Canada, the UK, the US, Europe, and globally, with the organization that she founded and leads, the Whistleblowing International Network.”
“You are taking things that I have been involved in for many years and you are talking about them and applying them to real-life situations. The issues around whistleblowing are integrity, responsibility, and accountability. Those are also issues for lawyers, judges, and anyone in an institutional setting. Whistleblowing is really about speaking up in the interests of others.”
A Europe-wide competition
The interest generated by the inaugural MMCC was astonishing: thirty-two teams, from fifteen universities and nine different countries, registered to compete in Europe’s first competition on whistleblowing law. Nine teams advanced to the competition day after a highly competitive process during which they were asked to present written pleadings on a fictional case on behalf of both the applicant and defendant.
Arguing their case in the final in front of the Supreme Court’s Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, Deputy Chairperson of the Labour Court, Katie Connolly, and Rosario Boyle SC, the team from the Law Society of Ireland, consisting of Patrick Quigley and Emma Worrall, won first place. They competed in the final against Nina Ginard, from the University of Amsterdam, who also won the award for Best Written Pleading.
Monika Medved and Tin Šoštarić, from the University of Zagreb, won third place and the award for Best Oralist, coached by Professor Sunčana Roksandic. Maria Palou Haro and Manuel Grosso, from the Universidad Europea de Valencia, coached by Professor Cristina Fernández González, won fourth place.
“The success of the MMCC is built on the generosity of our sponsors, the dedication of our judges, and the invaluable support of our volunteers. The competition is truly strengthened by the collective efforts of all who are committed to developing the next generation of whistleblowing legal advocates.”
Leading academics and barristers from the Bar of Ireland, including Rosemary Mallon BL, Mary Paula Guinness BL, Professor Michael Doherty, Sarah-Jane Hillery BL, Ruth Mylotte BL, Rory Treanor BL, Cathy McGrady BL, Paul D Maier BL, and William Maher BL, assessed the written and oral pleadings.
The inaugural edition of the Myers Moot Court Competition is part of Project BRIGHT, co-funded by the European Commission. This competition was made possible with the support of our sponsors Thomson Reuters Legal Europe, the School of Law and Criminology of Maynooth University, City College Dublin, Arthur Cox, and the Employment Bar Association. The second edition of the MMCC will take place in 2027.
Project BRIGHT 101143232 is co-funded by the European Commission. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
