Erasmus University pleading team wins Max Rood Pleading Competition 2019

On June 21, 2019, the first-anniversary edition of the Max Rood Pleading Competition took place. Teams from different corners of the country travelled to Leiden to compete for the coveted and prestigious challenge cup. Students Anfernee Leemans, Esther van Wageningen, Leonard Huisman and Yillis Smit of the Labour Law Department of Erasmus School of Law were nominated to represent Rotterdam.

The case for the first round was sent to all teams a week before the start of the competition. The case concerned the qualification of the employment relationship between a healthcare provider and his patient. Team Rotterdam represented the patient and set the pace in a gripping battle against the team at Leiden University. Although recent case law did not always favour Team Rotterdam, the jury - consisting of counsellors and judges from practice - decided unanimously in favour of Team Rotterdam. After getting the other round, the participants were given the redeeming word and the Rotterdam team was told that they will continue to the final.

Where there was a week of preparation time for the first round, the teams had only one hour to prepare for the final. In the detailed case for the final, the main topic was immediate dismissal. The battle between the Rotterdam team and the Utrecht team resulted in an exciting final, in which Professor Barentsen of Leiden University even spoke about "legal fireworks". Both sides strongly advocated why the requirements of a legally valid instant dismissal would be met and what the consequences would be for the clients. After a brief suspension for council room consultation, the six-member jury announced that it was unanimously decided that the Erasmus University Rotterdam team is the winner of the Max Rood Pleading Competition 2019. The team looks back on a successful day and proudly takes the challenge cup to Rotterdam.