A Medal Winning Thesis

In the beginning he seemed headed for physics and chemistry, in which he won various local and national competitions. Then it was the turn of tax law, in which William Criminisi, a 24-year-old Sicilian from Agrigento who graduated with honors from CLELI last December, triumphed by winning a prestigious recognition at European level, the Albert J Radler Medal Award for academic excellence. It was awarded to him at the end of April by the CFE Tax Advisers Europe for his thesis entitled Hybrid mismatch arrangements in international tax law, and his mentor in Bocconi was Carlo Garbarino. "It's an acknowledgment that makes me really proud," says William, "because it arrived in a subject of study that I am very passionate about. In fact, I have always looked for a course of study that combines legal and economic subjects. I did my undergraduate work at the University of Trento, so I went to Leyden to attend a tax law course and then I came to Bocconi for the CLELI, a very well structured course. "

A very technical thesis, as can be understood from the words that are read in the jury's motivations, "William Criminisi's manuscript provides a complete and in-depth analysis of an extremely technical topic, that of hybrid misalignments, supported by a comparative analysis" , but which perfectly met the two necessary conditions, William explains, "and that is to say, it had to be developed in the European context and contain an innovative theme". To partially spoil the party, the fact that, due to restrictions due to the pandemic, the award ceremony, initially scheduled for May in Brussels, will have to be postponed: "Maybe in September in Seville, more likely next year, in Brussels, together to that of the next edition. A small price that I too had to pay in this dramatic situation. "

As far as work is concerned, William Criminisi has joined a Milanese tax law boutique studio, but if he looks a little further into his future, the horizons widen: "In the long term I would like to combine professional activity with academics, if possible by treating tax law with an international perspective ". Like the one that allowed him to win the prize: whether it's Seville or Brussels, William will receive the proper tribute - the first, we are certain, of a successful career.