In order to encourage creative thinking and support the most diligent competition law students and young lawyers, the law firm PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal (PwC Legal) in cooperation with the Competition Council (CC) and the Riga Graduate School of Law is launching a competition for research papers in competition law for the third year in a row. The winner of the competition will receive a cash prize of EUR 1500, which will be awarded by PwC Legal, as well as the opportunity to intern at the Competition Council and other incentive prizes.
The competition requires participants to prepare and submit a research paper on competition law, setting out a reasoned perspective on the application of competition law, supported by legal reasoning. The paper may be in English or Latvian, may be prepared specifically for the competition or may have been previously published or prepared as part of a study programme.
The competition is open to both bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral law students and practising lawyers born after 1 January 1998.
Juris Gaiķis, chairman of the Competition Council: “Each year, the participants present increasingly complex topics and their presentations cover a wide range of topics – from breaches of dominant positions to current digital markets and competition aspects thereof. We hope that this year's submissions will also bring new trends and topics with practical application, making a significant contribution to competition law. In order to reward young professionals for their academic interest in competition law, the Competition Council will provide the winner with an internship that will give them the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice and open up new career opportunities.”
Māris Butāns, head of Competition & EU Law Practice Group at PwC Legal: “This year in Latvia marks the impact of the global economy on society and business. The role of different economic sectors in the purchasing power of society varies, but competition between companies remains the main driver in reducing inflation. Industries that have been slower to develop are struggling to retain their customers, while those that have been faster to develop are being caught by the regulatory framework. How these companies adapt can contribute to or detract from the well-being of society. This year, we also expect students to be creative and imaginative in their solutions to the various challenges.”
Ieva Rācenāja, director of the Riga Graduate School of Law: “Having been surprised and delighted by the willingness of the previous years' participants to explore, to seek answers to difficult questions and to offer their own solutions to practical problems, we are confident that this year's competition will be the first or next step on the road to academic excellence. We encourage every student to consider taking part in this competition.”
Submissions must be made electronically between 24 October 2023 and 19 May 2024 and shall be sent to: maris.butans@pwc.com.
All submissions will be evaluated by a jury and the five finalists with the highest marks will be selected by 27 May 2024. The finalists will be invited to present their work to the jury by 14 June 2024. In addition to a cash prize, the winner will be offered an internship at the Competition Council.