Competition Law and Digital Economy at the 2019 Themis Seminar

THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF LAW SCHOOLS MET IN LISBON THIS YEAR FOR ITS ANNUAL SEMINAR

More than 70 students from 11 partner universities (Bocconi University, Australian National University, WU-Vienna University of Economics and Business, Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne, Freie Universität Berlin, Victoria University of Wellington, Maastricht University, NOVA Law School, ESADE Law School, Singapore Management University and University of St. Gallen) recently met in Lisbon for the annual seminar of the Themis Program. Established in 2006 on the initiative of Bocconi, the network aims to create new profiles with international legal expertise, with a particular focus on business law issues.
The program includes a semester abroad, during which students attend courses in the "Themis curriculum," a joint seminar held at one of the network's universities, and an internship in an international setting. At the end of the program, Themis graduates obtain the Joint Certificate in International Business Law issued and recognized by all partner universities.

"Themis promotes a dense exchange of students between the various universities," explains the Dean of the Bocconi School of Law, Pietro Sirena. "It also plays a fundamental role in the internationalization strategy of legal studies that Bocconi is pursuing. Every year, we send around 20 fourth- and fifth-year students to study at one of the partner universities for six months and learn about law in other countries."  The Lisbon seminar, entitled "Competition Law and the Digital Economy," was hosted by Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. It also touched on a very current theme. "Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the foundation of our degree program in Law this year, Bocconi is very focused on the fields of data science and digital law, which, together with business law topics, will be a fundamental part of the curriculum in the upcoming years."
In Lisbon, in addition to attending seminars with professors from various universities, students also faced off in a team competition: "The teams were made up of students from different universities," says Thomas Fleischmann, 23, from Bolzano. "And this was an extraordinary opportunity for discussing and exchanging ideas." Thomas, who spent his semester abroad at WU-Vienna University of Economics and Business, chose Themis because, he explains, "the world is increasingly globalized, and even commercial law does not escape this rule. Having an international experience is essential."

"I see my future at an international law firm," says Ludovica Marino, 22, enrolled in the fourth year of the Law program. "And Themis can give me a step up in this sense. I attended my time abroad at Singapore Management University, where I experienced different teaching methods, much more focused on group work and lots of hands-on tests." In Lisbon, Ludovica was a member of one of the competition's winning teams: "There were two Italian students, two French students and two German students," continues Ludovica, "and two of them had attended a semester at Bocconi. The result was a lively debate full of ideas, a highly enriching experience on a personal level."
 
 

by Davide Ripamonti
Translated by Jenna Walker