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Team and Coaches

Photo: Sara Hefny
From left to right: Youssef Hefny, Katharina Harder and Dejan Dobrnjac

Team and Coaches

The Team
Meet the team ready to conquer the31st Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court: Weare Dejan, Katharina and Youssef and excited to tackle this challenge as a team! United by our dedication to advocacy and a commitment to sharpen our legal skills, weare eagerly preparing to engage in this prestigious competition. As we embark on this transformative journey, weare ready to absorb invaluable lessons, forge meaningful connections, and strive for nothing short of excellence!

Photo: Sara Hefny

Dejan Dobrnjac, 23, is a law student at theUniversity of Marburg. He participatesin the 31st Willem C. Vis Moot Court in his 6th semester. Early on in his studies, he wondered how different legal systems can interact, as cases can cross borders. He likes fathoming legal problems, as he likes solving new problems until everything is coherent. He sees the Vis Moot as an opportunity to expand his knowledge and experience teamwork in a completely new way. He also enjoys improving his English skills and meeting people from all over the world. In his free time, he likes to bake cakes.

Photo: Sara Hefny

Katharina Harder, 22 years old and a law student at the University of Marburg. She participates in the 31st Willem C. Vis Moot Court in her 7th semester. Along the transformative journey she embarked on, of studying law first in Frankfurt and now in Marburg, she discovered her passion for civil law, which manifests in her job as student assistant for Prof. Dr. Constantin Willems. To broaden her horizons, she decided to study abroad for a year at Trinity College Dublin, mastering her nuances of legal English and developing a passion for both international and commercial law. By participating in the Willem C. Vis Moot Court,she hopes to put her legal discourse skills to test, learn to mediate on an international scale and gainvaluable experiences for her future legal profession. She enjoys spending her free time outside, with friends or a good book.

Photo: Sara Hefny

Youssef Hefny, 19, is a student of law at the University of Marburg and participatesin the 31st Willem C. Vis Moot Court in his 3rd semester. During his school years, he completed an internship at a law firm in Marburg and was able to gain a valuable insight into German jurisprudence. These insights increased his interest and passion in international jurisprudence and supranationallaw. Besides German and English, Youssef also speaks Arabic and French. In parallel to his academic journey, he does voluntary work in the community and enjoys sports like playing football and basketball. By participating in the 31st Willem C. Vis Moot Court, he hopes to learn more about international civil dispute resolution. He is especially looking forward to acquiring new knowledge and perfecting his rhetorical skills.

The Coaches
for the Marburg team for the 31st Vis Moot Court 2023/24 are Oksana Diachenko, Derwis Dilek and Dominik Re.

Photo: Photo studioline
Oksana Diachenko, 30 years old, is a University of Marburg graduate and an ex-mootie of the 23rd Vis Moot (2015/2016). Before coming to Marburg, Oksana studied International Relations at the Ukrainian State University of Finance and International Trade in Kyiv, where she developed her genuine interest to the international law. Through multiple internships and international engagement, she gained valuable practical experience that she believes will help her co-coaching the team. She focuses on the procedural law and is currently finishing her legal clerkship program (Referendariat) in Hamburg. In her spare time, she plays piano and is interested in modern arts.

Photo: Hans Wilke

Derwis Dilek, 28 years old, is research assistant at the University of Marburg. He participated in the 24th Vis Moot and has been coaching three teams in the years that followed. He is thrilled to be part of this year's Vis Moot again.

Photo: Natalie Gutjahr

Dominik Re, 25, studied law at the University of Marburg.  In addition to his studies, he was involved with the student law journal Marburg Law Review and the student legal advice service.  Dominik was a member of the Marburg team at the 26th Vis Moot.  After participating in the Vis Moot, he worked for two years as a legal assistant at a leading business law firm.  He is currently completing his legal traineeship at the Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main.  He is looking forward to actively supporting the new team.