The University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, proudly hosted the 9th National Law Fest — Arguendo 2026 from March 19th to March 21st, 2026. This prestigious fest brought together some of the brightest legal minds from across the country through two flagship events—the UILS National Moot Court Competition, 2026 and the 6th Justice A.S. Anand National Mediation and Negotiation Competition, 2026. Complementing these competitions was “Raising the Bar — Season 2,” a thought-provoking talk series which aims at bridging the gap between legal education and professional realities. The season was graced this year by Justice Ritu Bahri, former Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court.
Arguendo 2026 witnessed enthusiastic participation from 36 teams, comprising over 100 students, who competed rigorously across multiple rounds of advocacy and negotiation. The teams included NLU Jodhpur, NALSAR Hyderabad, NLU Sonepat.
The final rounds of the National Moot Court competition and National Mediation & Negotiation competition were judged by Honourable Justice Sanjay Vashisht and Justice Aman Chaudhary, Judges Punjab and Haryana High Court and Senior Advocates of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Advocate Jasdev Mehndiratta and Karambir Singh Nalwa. The judges also included Adv. Shivam Wadhwa, Founder and Managing Partner, Wadhwa & Co. and Col. Narender Singh Deputy Judge Advocate General (Litigation) Headquarters Western Command Chandigarh.
The valedictory ceremony was also presided by Justice Aman Chaudhary where he apprised the students and participants with the nuances of litigation and skills of advocacy. The winners of the Moot Court competition were NMIMS, Chandigarh and Amity University, Mohali as the runners up. The best speaker award was bagged by Ms. Shyla Thakur from Amity University. The winners of the Mediation and Negotiation competition were also NMIMS and National Law University Jodhpur emerged as the runners up.
Organised under the aegis of Prof. (Dr.) Shruti Bedi, Director, UILS, and supported by dedicated faculty coordinators, Dr. Supreet Gill, Dr. Shivani Gupta and Dr. Nidhi Sharma- the fest stood as a testament to UILS’s commitment to experiential learning. Since its establishment in 2004—05, UILS has consistently fostered academic excellence and practical exposure, and Arguendo continues to embody this vision by creating a platform for advocacy, dialogue, and professional growth.
