Deadline for ICC World Business Law Prize submissions approaches

Lawyers from around the world are submitting doctoral dissertations and long essays, drafted in French or English, to this prestigious competition – which provides them with both the challenges and rewards of a world-class event.

The winners will be awarded on 28 November 2011 and will receive €10,000 prizes for researching and writing the theses judged to be at the highest level of excellence in the field of international commercial law, including arbitration.

“The generous sponsoring of the prize allows for funding the publication of the two crowned theses. I expect this to attract ambitious young scholars who want to share their work with the legal community,” said George Affaki, Member of the Executive Committee and Global Head of Structured Finance, CIB Legal, BNP Paribas, France.

The aim of the Prize is to contribute to the understanding and progress of international commercial law worldwide and to encourage lawyers in this field to focus their research on legal issues affecting international business.

“We launched the inaugural Institute prize four years ago – to provide a global platform for new voices in the study and advancement of jurisprudence in the context of a global economy. I have been amazed at its rapid growth in acclaim and acceptance among both the community of legal scholars, global law firms and corporate counsel alike,” Mr Affaki said.

The Institute Prize now draws submissions from across five continents, covering a broad range of legal issues, and plays a leading role in advancing the dialogue and scholarship on international commercial law.

This competition strengthens the link between the academic world and practicing lawyers. It draws on the history and reputation of the ICC Institute of World Business Law. This think-tank, composed of 44 members representing 23 nationalities, was created 30 years ago, to provide research, training and information to the legal profession concerned with the development of international business law.

“The ICC Institute of World Business law is proud to contribute to the development of international arbitration with this prize, which makes important essays available to all arbitration practitioners,” said Yves Derains, Chairman of the ICC Institute of World Business Law.

The prize winner will be selected by jury members:

• Georges Affaki, Member of the Executive Committee and Global Head of Structured Finance, CIB Legal, BNP Paribas, France 
• Luiz Olavo Baptista, Partner, Luiz Olavo Baptista Advogados Associados, Brazil 
• Nayla Comair-Obeid, Partner, Obeid Law Firm, Lebanon 
• Antonio Crivellaro, Partner, Head of the International Arbitration Department, Bonelli Erede Pappalardo, Italy 
• H. Ercument Erdem, Partner, Erdem and Erdem 
• Francois Perret, Lawyer, Switzerland 

To find out more about the Prize, please click here.