The YPLF was founded in 2009, by the following people when they were PhD students: Jill Robbie (University of Edinburgh), Eveline Ramaekers (University of Maastricht), Bram Akkermans (University of Maastricht), Koen Swinnen (University of Leuven) and Ernst Marais (University of Stellenbosch). The first conference of the Forum was held at the University of Edinburgh in 2009. The Forum meets once a year and is intended to create a global network of junior and senior property law scholars, and provide an opportunity for early career researchers to present their work. The results of the conferences have been published in a series entitled Property Law Perspectives. In 2019, the Forum celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a conference at the University of Glasgow.
Founding Principles – Young Property Lawyers Forum – YPLF
– The Young Property Lawyers Forum (YPLF) is an informal network for junior and senior property lawyers.
– A property lawyer is a researcher in the area of property law in the widest sense of the term, including (but not exhaustive) the law of things, land law, personal property law, constitutional property law, European property law, comparative property law, virtual property law and commercial property law.
– A junior property lawyer is researcher working on his or her PhD thesis or within 5 years of successfully defending his or her PhD thesis
– A senior property lawyer is a researcher with more than 5 years post-doctoral research experience
– Each year junior property lawyers may propose to host a YPLF meeting to the board of advice
– The YPLF convenes once a year at a location to be determined by the board of advice
– The board of advice convenes during an annual meeting of the YPLF
– A YPLF is organised by junior property lawyers, assisted by senior property lawyers and other faculty/institutional members if necessary. The lead organisation is always in the hands of the junior property lawyers to gain valuable conference organizing experience.
– A YPLF takes place on the principle that all participants bear their own travel and accommodation costs.
– The YPLF-organisers will try to obtain financing to host lunch and dinner for junior participants and senior participants if possible. When possible, they can reimburse travel and accommodation costs of junior participants.
– Senior participants are expected to bear their own costs.
– At a YPLF meeting junior property lawyers present their research or a research paper
– At a YPLF meeting senior property lawyers do not present, but constructively comment on the junior property lawyers presentation and research
– A YPLF meeting is free of form, proposals can be submitted to the board of advice. This can include poster presentations, master classes, panel discussions etc.
– The YPLF-organisers will try to edit and publish the conference papers into a book. The book is edited by the junior property lawyers and not seniors, to gain valuable book editing experience.
– Senior property lawyers can of course contribute to the book.
– The YPLF books are generally edited by last year’s organizers added with this years organizers.