New York, December 2, 2005 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Fordham Law School is establishing the world’s first training center for antitrust/competition law officials, judges and policymakers from around the world. The Fordham Competition Law Institute’s training center will provide free programs open to participants from new regulatory bodies as well as more experienced jurisdictions, facilitating the exchange of ideas and experiences. The training center will help meet the rapidly growing demand for judges and officials well trained in competition law.
“The expansion of the global economy and new legislation in emerging, transitional and developing markets is driving the demand for judges and officials trained in competition law,” said Barry E. Hawk, a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and the director of the Fordham Competition Law Institute, who will oversee the new training center. “The goal of the institute is to become a resource for competition authorities and courts worldwide.”
Competition policy has emerged as a focal point of law reform in countries undergoing the transition from central planning toward greater reliance on market processes. As the majority of the world’s roughly 100 competition authorities were established in the last 20 years, many of them since 2000, capacity building and training constitute a primary challenge for the vast majority of countries in the world. New members of well established authorities also need preparatory and on-going training. As jurisdictions worldwide seek to promote private litigation in competition matters, judges need greater expertise in competition law and economics.
Some of the world’s leading competition/antitrust judges, officials, academics and practitioners will teach the seminars and courses offered at the institute located at Fordham Law School in Manhattan. Programs will begin in June 2006. A schedule of upcoming programs follows:
2006 Programs
1) A seminar for experienced competition authority officials and judges will be held from June 26 to June 30, 2006, in New York. A highly experienced, international faculty will discuss advanced topics in competition law and economics with a small group of no more than 25 participants. The center will offer financial assistance for travel to enable competition officials from diverse backgrounds to attend.
2) A two-day workshop will be organized for heads of agencies, senior officials and policymakers with emphasis on issues and problems of particular interest to senior level officials and policymakers, including case selection, the setting of enforcement priorities and performance evaluation of competition authorities. The workshop will be held in New York following the FCLI Annual International Antitrust Law and Policy Conference in the fall.
2007 Programs
In 2007, the center will repeat the two programs offered in 2006 and introduce three additional programs:
1) An introductory seminar on core/common economic concepts (e.g., market power, efficiency, entry, competitive effects) and legal concepts (e.g., dominant position, restraint of trade) in competition law and policy for new and less experienced competition authority officials.
2) A seminar for judges on economic and legal concepts and issues in competition law with particular emphasis on issues arising in the context of judicial review and litigation.
3) A seminar for economists from competition authorities focusing on recent developments in economic theory; the application of economic theory in cases before authorities and courts; and the role of economists within competition authorities.
