Demonstrating strong teamwork and client advisory skills, our LL.M. students Eva Grotheer, Osmaily Abreu and Thandiwe Majama reached the semifinals of this year’s Comparative Law in Action (CLiA) competition, organized by IE Law School in Madrid. The students were coached by Professor Giovanni De Gregorio and current Ph.D. student Laura Lellau, who supported their preparation and guided them through the unique format of this competition, which simulates real-life legal advisory scenarios.
“This is a competition that aims for students to practice and improve their skills to engage, understand, and communicate in an effective way with clients,” said Osmaily Ortiz Abreu. “I enjoyed the approach from a different perspective of the profession. Also, the strategic thinking necessary to create the best advice, of course always supported by the law.”
The 2025 edition of the CLiA focused on legal issues related to artificial intelligence, intellectual property, and EU law and policy. For many participants, it was an opportunity to explore legal questions beyond the traditional classroom context.
“The competition was a wonderful experience, from the event itself to the colleagues I met and the vibrant city of Madrid,” said Thandiwe Majama. “I especially appreciated how this year’s challenge pushed my team and I to look beyond existing law and consider the evolving landscape of AI and intellectual property rights. I also loved that it challenged us to consider the geopolitical climate in the EU and how that affects the enforcement of EU and international law.”
“CLiA gave us a chance to work on a highly relevant and current legal topic at the intersection of law and technology,” added Eva Grotheer. “Acting as legal advisors in front of clients, we built strategies that focused on the best solutions for the needs and wants of the client, rather than only developing the technically correct solution as we typically do in law school.”
For coach Laura Lellau, who previously took part in the competition as an LL.M. student, this year’s experience offered a different kind of insight: “Returning to the Comparative Law in Action competition in Madrid as a coach was a special experience for me. Seeing the event from the coach’s perspective gave me a new appreciation for the dedication students put into preparing their cases. Watching them transform their hard work into confident and engaging presentations was incredibly rewarding.”
Católica Global School of Law congratulates the team on their performance and looks forward to keeping promoting students' practical skills, while connecting with peers from across the world.
