National University of Lesotho
Roma, Lesotho
Who We Are
The team consists of participants Paballo Ntoi, Paballo Moeti, Kobasiea Tjabaka, and Liteboho Patala, supported by Lindiwe Nzeku, Keneiloe Kompi, Khalalelo Jaase, Ramosa Makara, Piyush Pandit, and Letzadzo Kometsi as dedicated coaches.
What sets this team apart is their unbreakable spirit and the unwavering support they provide for one another. While they recognize the importance of rigorous preparation for the competition, they also understand the value of balance; this is evident in the way they share laughter and make light-hearted jokes about the case problem during their late-night practice sessions.
Eager to participate in the 32nd Vis Moot, the team is enthusiastic about gaining valuable experience essential for a career in arbitration, including enhancing their oral advocacy, research, and written advisory skills. Their camaraderie and dedication to excellence ensure they are ready to tackle any challenge together.
Meet the Team
Kobasiea Tjabaka
Kobasiea Tjabaka is a 4th year law student at the National University of Lesotho. She served as a Puisne Judge in the Student Judiciary Committee for the year 2023/2024. She participated in the Alfred Deakin ICA Moot Court Competition and various more moot competitions, both at the international and domestic level. She has participated in the International Women's Day Moot Court Competition where she won the best orator. She has also participated in the Kovsie Moot Court Competition. She has also been a couch for the Orate Africa Competition for high school students. She is a member of the Vis Association, Law Society and Litigation club.
She is passionate about International Trade and International Commercial Arbitration. The William C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition is a perfect platform for her to learn more about international commercial arbitration and gain more experience as well as improve her advocacy skills and research skills.
Liteboho Patala
Liteboho Patala is a 4th year law student at the National University of Lesotho. She is a debate coach and a mooter within the university. She has participated in a number of moot court competitions, both locally and internationally, the recent being the Nuremberg moot court competition. She is a goal oriented individual who possesses good interpersonal skills and leadership skills.
Mpoetsi Makhele
Mpoetsi Makhele is a Law student in her fourth year of study at the National University of Lesotho. She prides herself with her eagerness to learn and gain new skills. She hopes that joining the Vis Moot will hone her skills in International Commercial Arbitration as well as propelling her into the field of Commercial arbitration. With these new found skills, she aims to broaden her horizon as a lawyer, as well as to develop her oral advocacy and research skills necessary to make her a well rounded lawyer.
Paballo Moeti
Paballo Moeti is a final-year law student at the National University of Lesotho. She recently took part in the Alfred Deakin International Commercial Arbitration Moot 2024, where she gained significant insights into the practice of international commercial arbitration. She is confident that participating in the William C. International Arbitration will further deepen her expertise in this field and refine her advocacy skills.
Paballo Elsie Ntoi
Paballo is currently in her 4th year of Study at the National University of Lesotho and has a keen interest in commercial arbitration. Being a participant in the 32nd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition would increase her knowledge and equip her with necessary skills to become a future arbitrator.
Keneiloe Kompi (Coach)
Keneiloe is a dedicated head coach with a proven track record of leading teams in prestigious international moot court competitions such as the Willem C. Vis Moot Court Competition and the FDI Moot Court Competition. With a background as a participant in the 30th Vis Moot and the 2022 Alfred Deakin Moot Court on international commercial arbitration, Keneiloe brings valuable firsthand experience to guiding students through the intricacies of international arbitration.
As head coach, she has successfully led multiple teams, including the 31st Vis Moot and Alfred Deakin Moot teams, ensuring their readiness to compete at the highest level. In addition, she has worked with local schools, coaching rising high school teams, helping ambitious students get an early start in their legal careers by participating in moot court competitions.
She is also a permanent adjudicator for the debate club at her University, further contributing to the development of young debaters' critical thinking and advocacy skills. Her commitment extends beyond coaching, as she also co-manages social media for the teams she coaches, enhancing engagement and visibility for their achievements.
She continues to excel in her field as coach and mentor, empowering students to succeed on a global stage.
Khalalelo Jaase (Coach)
Khalalelo Jaase is an LLB graduate from the National University of Lesotho who is passionate about international commercial law and arbitration. This passion led into her participation in the Alfred Deakin ICA moot where her team was ranked number 14. Further, to deepen her understanding of international commercial arbitration, she participated in the 31st Willem C. Vis Moot, gaining invaluable experience in this area of law.
With this successful moot experience, Khalalelo is excited to coach the 32nd NUL Vis Team with confidence that her knowledge and past experiences will contribute to the team's success.
Lindiwe Nzeku (Coach)
Lindiwe Nzeku is a final-year law student at the National University of Lesotho, whose passion for international commercial arbitration was sparked during her participation in the 2023 Alfred Deakin Moot Court Competition. Her team reached the top 16, and she earned a highly commended award, placing in the top 5 out of 110 oralists. Lindiwe continued to refine her legal research, oral advocacy, and writing skills through her participation in the 31st Vis Moot International Commercial Arbitration Competition.
As the co-founder and President of the National University of Lesotho Vis Association, she is committed to supporting fellow students in their pursuit of success in the Vis Moot. Currently, Lindiwe serves as coach of the university’s 32nd Vis Moot team, where she is eager to guide a dedicated team of students aiming to excel in the field of commercial arbitration.
Piyush Pandit (Coach)
Piyush Pandit is a final year student of BA LLB (Hons.) Five-Year Integrated Course from Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla, India, with a strong academic background and a keen interest in arbitration and dispute resolution. He has demonstrated exceptional skills in mooting, both as a participant and a coach, and is recognized for his dedication to the field of international arbitration.
Piyush has an impressive array of mooting achievements. Notably, he was an oralist and team captain for the Foreign Direct Investment Moot at Humboldt University, Berlin, where his team secured third place in the South Asia rounds, and he earned several individual accolades, including an honorable mention rank 1 as Best Speaker. He also participated in the prestigious 30th Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna, where he was ranked among the top speakers at various pre-moot competitions, further honing his advocacy and arbitration skills.
In addition to his success as a mooter, Piyush has served as a coach for various moot teams, including the HPNLU team and Banaras Hindu University’s team for the NLS Trilegal International Arbitration Moot. His expertise has now led to his appointment as the coach for the 32nd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot team of the University of Lesotho by Africa in the Moot. His role in coaching reflects his deep understanding of arbitration and his commitment to nurturing the next generation of legal minds.
Piyush's exposure to the field of arbitration extends beyond mooting. He has interned at several prestigious law firms and arbitration institutions, including the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC), where he gained valuable experience working on ongoing arbitration cases under the guidance of renowned legal professionals.
His leadership roles, such as co-founding ConfabulArb, a podcast on international arbitration, and founding MUNity International, further underscore his proactive approach to promoting discourse on arbitration and diplomacy.