Learning to speak up: a new generation of whistleblowing professionals
19 March 2026
Professor Cristina Fernández González coached two teams from Universidad Europea de Valencia during the inaugural Myers Moot Court Competition. She is also an EWI Fellow.
On the last weekend of February, we had the opportunity to participate in the first moot court exclusively dedicated to European whistleblowing law, organized by the European Whistleblowing Institute and named in honour of the outstanding professional Anna Myers - the Myers Moot Court Competition. The oral rounds were an intense and memorable two days of work, learning, and academic exchange that we will hardly forget. The organization of the event was impeccable and created a shared space where students, professors, and professionals could reflect together on one of the most relevant legal challenges of our time: the protection of individuals who report wrongdoing.
The venue chosen for this first edition could hardly have been more symbolic. The Myers Moot Court Competition took place at the Four Courts of Ireland, allowing participants to experience an environment closely connected to real judicial practice. Arguing a case in such an institutional setting transformed the academic exercise into a deeply formative and, at the same time, inspiring experience for the students. It was truly moving and remarkable to see our students presenting their arguments in a building of such magnitude and historical significance.
However, beyond the excellent organization and the exceptional nature of the venue, what truly deserves recognition is the work carried out by the participating teams. The Myers Moot Court Competition brought together students from different European universities who were required to analyze a complex case related to whistleblowing and European law, prepare written submissions, and defend their arguments orally before a panel of genuine experts. For many of them, this meant engaging in legal argumentation in an international context for the first time, sometimes in a language other than their own and on legal matters they had only recently begun to explore in their studies.
Simulated courts play a particularly valuable role in legal education, especially in relatively new and complex areas such as whistleblowing law. In the classroom, students can study the legal frameworks and understand the theoretical foundations of whistleblower protection. A moot court, however, requires them to go a step further: to analyze a complex case, interpret European legal norms, build arguments grounded in case law, draft procedural submissions, and defend their position orally before a tribunal.
From a teaching perspective, the preparation process has been one of the most enriching experiences. Training students for a competition of this nature requires many hours of collaborative work: reviewing arguments, refining the structure of written submissions, practising oral advocacy, and anticipating possible questions from the bench. During this process, it becomes possible to observe how students develop essential professional skills: critical thinking, the ability to synthesize complex information, confidence in legal reasoning, and teamwork. Accomplishing all of this within four months—and doing so in a language different from their own—was undoubtedly a challenge, but one that proved worthwhile many times over.
The atmosphere that emerged during the weekend was also particularly enriching. Beyond the academic competition, the Myers Moot Court Competition became a meeting point for students from different countries, languages, and legal traditions. The exchange of ideas, cooperation between teams, and shared interest in the study of whistleblowing and public integrity created the feeling of a genuine international academic community. In many ways, the most valuable aspect of this experience was not the competition itself, but the opportunity to share.
Not even the characteristic cold of Dublin at this time of year managed to dampen the enthusiasm of the participants. After the working sessions, all teams were able to spend informal time together exploring the city and enjoying the hospitality with which Dublin welcomed our students. Experiences that combine academic learning with cultural exchange are precisely what give initiatives such as this moot court their real meaning.
If anything has become clear after this first edition, it is that there is a new generation of students deeply committed to the values of integrity, transparency, and the protection of those who dare to report wrongdoing. Being able to accompany them in this process has undoubtedly been one of the greatest honour of this weekend.
