Young Property Lawyers Forum Stellenbosch 2012
The Young Property Lawyers Forum (YPLF) is intended to provide a forum to especially those researchers for whom presenting and discussing their research will mean the most.
In the past week (Monday 29 and Tuesday 30) October, I have had the privilege of co-organising the third edition of the Young Property Lawyers Forum. This, very special, edition took place in Stellenbosch, South Africa and was kindly and expertly hosted by Prof. dr. André van der Walt, holder of the South African Research Chair in Property Law and his institute. For two days 30 young property law scholars presented, in the presence of about 30 more scholars, their research in short papers in the presence of some of the most eminent property lawyers in the world. By young scholars I mean those who have not made it to full professor yet, so including doctoral researchers as well as post-docs.
The Young Property Lawyers Forum (YPLF) is really intended to provide a forum to especially those researchers for whom presenting and discussing their research will mean the most. Senior property law scholars, i.e. those who generally hold a full professorship, comment on the papers. And on Wednesday 31 October 2012, they had their chance to present some of their research in the Master Class that immediately followed the YPLF 2012.
This was a truly remarkable conference and magnificent surroundings of the University of Stellenbosch only contributed to the company and intense discussions about property law that lasted for these three days. Besides myself, M-EPLI fellows Anna Berlee, Willem Loof and Dr. Agustin Parise presented at the YPLF. M-EPLI fellows Sjef van Erp and Lars van Vliet contributed to the Masterclass. Having travelled from all over the world (amongst other, United States, Israel, Netherlands, Belgium, England, Scotland and – of course – South Africa) the combination of all these papers was truly unique.
I will be working with my co-organisor dr. Ernst Marais of the University of Stellenbosch and M-EPLI fellow Eveline Ramaekers on the publication of the proceedings of the conference. More news about this to follow early 2013. For now, I can only refer you to the most generous account of the University of Stellenbosch news service about this: http://blogs.sun.ac.za/news/2012/10/30/young-property-lawyers-encouraged-to-learn-from-each-other/