INTA Asia-Pacific Moot Court Competition 2027 on Trademark Law, Oral Rounds at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi (12-13 February 2027; No Registration Fee; Register by 15 November 2026)

The International Trademark Association (INTA) has launched the 2027 Asia-Pacific Moot Court Competition, to be held in person at The India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on 12-13 February 2027. INTA describes the competition as an annual event, running since 2017, that introduces law students in the Asia-Pacific region to international trademark and unfair competition law issues. Teams write a brief on a fictional fact pattern and then argue it before a panel of volunteer attorneys and judges. The competition is conducted in English.

The 2027 Moot Court Problem is an appeal from the fictional Solmere High Court, Intellectual Property Division, in Zenith Sports Beverages Ltd. v. Grovemark Beverages Bhd. The issues on appeal cover protectability and functionality of bottle trade dress and a flip-top cap, well-known mark status without local registration, likelihood of confusion, copyright in label artwork, reckless disregard in adopting the mark, and an accounting of profits earned by non-party Bottling and Distribution Partners. The problem states that students are free to apply laws from any Asia-Pacific country, common law jurisdiction or any other laws that support their arguments.

• Open to teams of students from any university or other higher education institution (School), so long as graduation or completion from that School renders its students eligible for admission to practise law.
• Each team may have 2 to 4 students from the same School.
• Only one team per School. Multiple teams from the same university may register, provided each School of that university is represented by only one team. If several teams register from the same School, the first to register is eligible.
• No team member may hold a law degree or equivalent, or be admitted or licensed to practise law in any country. An LL.M. student who already holds a law degree may not enter; a student in a joint undergraduate/LL.M. programme, or an LL.M. student without a law degree, may.
• Team members must be enrolled in a full-time or part-time programme at the School they represent. An active faculty advisor is recommended but not required.

INTA states that there is no registration fee to enter. Each team selected for the oral rounds is responsible for paying its own travel and accommodation costs and for obtaining any travel documents; INTA will provide letters of invitation to help with visa applications.

• Step 1, entry form: complete the online entry form by 5:00 pm US Eastern Time on 15 November 2026 (3:30 am IST on 16 November 2026). No late entries are accepted. Early entry is suggested.
• Within 2 working days INTA emails the Team Lead a unique alpha-numeric team number and the side (Plaintiff or Defendant) the team must brief. If this email does not arrive in 2 working days, write to APACMootCourt@inta.org.
• Any substitution of team members must be made by email before 5:00 pm US Eastern Time on 15 November 2026.
• Step 2, brief: email the brief to APACMootCourt@inta.org, with the team number in the subject line, by 5:00 pm US Eastern Time on 20 November 2026 (3:30 am IST on 21 November 2026). Briefs cannot be posted or hand delivered.
• Proof of enrolment: scans of student ID cards or other proof of current enrolment for every team member must be emailed to INTA. The Official Rules give the deadline as 5:00 pm US Eastern Time on 20 November 2026, along with the brief; the INTA competition webpage gives 5:00 pm US Eastern Time on 15 November 2026. Sending it by the earlier date is the safe course.
• If no confirmation of receipt of the brief arrives by 24 November 2026, email APACMootCourt@inta.org by 5:00 pm US Eastern Time on 25 November 2026.

• The argument and conclusion are limited to 25 double-spaced pages (A4); the cover page, questions presented, tables, statement of the case, summary of argument and appendices do not count towards the limit.
• Times New Roman or Arial at 12 point or larger, or Courier at no more than 10 characters per inch.
• The header must carry the full name of the competition and the footer the page number (bottom right); ancillary pages in Roman numerals, arguments in Arabic numerals.
• The PDF file must be named with the team number, which also goes on the lower right corner of the cover. The School name and team members' names must not appear anywhere in the brief.
• All citations must follow the most recent edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.
• No outside assistance is allowed in writing the brief, including from artificial intelligence (AI), faculty members, coaches, other students or attorneys; practice arguments and critiques are permitted only after the brief is submitted.
• See the Official Rules for the full requirements.

Twenty briefs will be selected for the oral rounds, and those teams will be notified by email on 16 December 2026. On Friday 12 February 2027 each team argues two preliminary rounds, once for each side. The top eight teams after Day 1 argue the quarter-finals on Saturday 13 February 2027, followed by the semi-finals and the final. Two team members argue in each round, and any two members may argue. INTA does not release individual or team scores.

Winners are announced immediately after the competition. Best Team: US $3,000 plus US $1,000 to the team's law school, and complimentary INTA student membership for 2027. Second Place Team: US $1,500 and complimentary INTA student membership for 2027. Best Oral Arguments (individual): US $1,000. Best Brief: US $500. Participation certificates are given by email to all 20 teams in the oral rounds.

The single point of contact for all enquiries is APACMootCourt@inta.org. INTA asks teams not to email any other INTA account and not to use social media messages, phone calls or texts. All communication must go through the Team Lead's email address given on the registration form.