We are delighted to announce that the judicial panel for this year’s CEEMC includes the following:
President of the CEEMC Panel
Eleanor Sharpston KC was an Advocate General to the Court of Justice of the European Union from January 2006 until September 2020.
Eleanor became the President of the CEEMC Judicial Panel in 2009 and has been an incredible supporter of the CEEMC and the British Law Centre.
She is one of the most formidable thinkers and writers on EU law and someone whose passion for the European project is second-to-none.
She studied economics, languages and law at King’s College, Cambridge (1973-77), followed by university teaching and research at Corpus Christi College, Oxford (1977-80).
She was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple in 1980 and was a barrister in private practice from 1980-87 and 1990-2005 King’s Counsel: 1999; Bencher of Middle Temple (2005). In the intervening years she worked as Legal Secretary (referendaire) in the Chambers of Advocate General, subsequently Judge, Sir Gordon Slynn later Lord Slynn of Hadley (1987-90).
She was also a Lecturer in European and comparative law (Director of European Legal Studies) at University College London (1990-92) and then a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law (1992-98), and subsequently Affiliated Lecturer (1998-2005), at the University of Cambridge.
She was Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Legal Studies of the University of Cambridge (1998-2005) and remains a fellow of King’s College, Cambridge (since 1992).
In 2021, Eleanor was elected as a member of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee.
Aside from her academic and professional achievements, Madam President Sharpston is well-known for her ability to entertain everyone during the CEEMC, especially at the Singing Competition!
Founder of the CEEMC
Founder of CEEMC
Denise was Director of Studies at Juris Angliae Scientia for almost 25 years.
She was instrumental in expanding the activities of the British Law Centre throughout the CEE region.
She founded the CEEMC competition in 1995 and continues to be instrumental to its ongoing success.
Denise’s services to encouraging the study of English law in CEE are renowned. In 2013, she was formally honoured for such services with the award of an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
European Courts and Institutions
Professor at the Supreme Administrative Court, Czech Republic; Former Advocate General to the CJEU
Prof. Bobek was an Advocate General to the Court of Justice between 2015-2021.
In 2022 he became a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Czech Republic.
Previously, he was a Member of the Board of Appeals of the Czech National Bank and an ad hoc judge at the European Court of Human Rights.
He both writes and lectures extensively on EU law. He has been a Fellow and Research Fellow at the Institute of European and Comparative Law of the University of Oxford and a Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges.
In addition to his numerous professional and academic achievements, Michal graduated the British Law Centre Diploma with a distinction and participated as a mooter in the CEEMC 2003.
Whilst at the CJEU, Michal kindly allowed CEEMC Best Speakers to undertake an internship (stage) within his team.
CJEU Advocate General
Prof Tamara Capeta is an Advocate General to the Court of Justice. She is also the Jean Monnet Professor at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. She has published extensively on all aspects of EU law.
EU Commission
Dr BARTŁOMIEJ KURCZ, LL.M. (Leuven), DLS (Cambridge) – graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University in 2000, is an official of the European Commission employed in the Directorate General for Competition.
Judge of Croatian Constitutional Court
Judge of the Constitutional Court (13 October 2017)
Graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb in 2000. He earned his Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Michigan Law School, USA, in 2002, and gained his PhD defending a thesis on “A Betrayed Ideal: The Problem of Enforcement of EU Sex Equality Guarantees in CEE Post-socialist Legal Systems”. He passed the State Qualifying Examination in 2012.
From 2001 to 2009 he worked at the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb, first as a junior research assistant in the Department of Constitutional Law, then as senior assistant in the Department of European Public Law. In 2010 he worked as an expert advisor in the EU PHARE project “Harmonisation and Publication of Case Law” at the Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia. From 2009 to 2012 he acted as a national gender equality expert in the European Network of National Legal Experts in Gender Equality of the European Commission. In December 2010 he started work at the Office of the Ombudsman for Gender Equality as a senior legal advisor, and in January 2012 he was appointed Deputy Ombudsman for Gender Equality, a position he held until his election as judge of the Constitutional Court in October 2017.
Since 2012, he has been an occasional guest lecturer at the Europäische Rechtsakademie (Academy of European Law – ERA). He has also acted as a legal expert in the following EU Progress projects: “EU Charter of Fundamental Rights” (2014) and “Support for the Implementation of the Anti-discrimination Act” (2009) at the Office for National Minorities and Human Rights of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. From 2013 to 2014 he worked as external associate in the Department of Law of the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Zagreb. Between 2009 and 2011 he lectured in the university study programme “Conference Interpreting” at the University of Zagreb.
He is the author of a wide range of expert and research papers in the fields of European law and the protection of human rights. He has taken part and made presentations in numerous expert and scientific national and international conferences, seminars, congresses and other events.
Justice at Supreme Court of Republic of Croatia
Duro Sessa has been a judge in Croatia since 1984, in various courts. He was formerly the President of Municipal Court in Zagreb and the President of Supreme Court of Republic of Croatia. He is currently the President of the European Association of Judges and also First Vice-President of the International Association of Judges.
Barrister (Senior Counsel); Former Director of Legal and Executive Affairs, EFTA Surveillance Authority
Carsten is a Senior Counsel at The Bar of Ireland specialising in EU Law, International Trade and Investment Law
2015 – 2021 Director of Legal and Executive Affairs, EFTA Surveillance Authority
2003 – 2013 Référendaire (Head of Cabinet), Court of Justice of the European Union, Luxembourg – in the chambers of UK Judges to the Court of Justice, Christopher Vajda and Judge Konrad Schiemann.
2002 – 2003 Barrister, Brick Court Chambers, London, United Kingdom
1999 – 2002 Researcher, British Institute of International and Comparative Law
Carsten is a Master of the Bench at Inner Temple.
He is called to the Bar of Ireland and to the Bar of England & Wales.
Carsten is a long-term supporter of the CEEMC and a member of its Judicial Panel since 2004. Whilst at the CJEU, he kindly helped to arrange internships for CEEMC Best Speakers.
Board Member at European Women Lawyers Association
Eliana is a Board Member of the EWLA. She coordinates various projects in the field of gender equality. She is responsible for EU Institutions Relations.
She has been a Policy Advisor at the European Parliament and also acted as an independent lawyer.
Eliana has done significant work to encourage mooting throughout CEE and is a long-term supporter of the CEEMC. She has been a member of the Judicial Panel since 2012.
Legal Practitioners
Clifford Chance and CEEMC judge since 1998.
Nick joined Clifford Chance, London 1985; solicitor, England and Wales 1987; assistant in corporate practice 1987-94; Warsaw office 1994; managing partner from 1998- 2009.
Nick specialises in corporate/commercial work, in particular acquisitions and disposals, general corporate finance, debt restructuring, flotations, equity issues and joint ventures. He has advised a number of international investors active across Central and Eastern Europe, including clients in the utility, engineering, pharmaceutical and financial sectors.
Nick has been instrumental in securing Clifford Chance’s ongoing support for the CEEMC and the British Law Centre. He is a director of Juris Angliae Scientia, the UK charity which manages the CEEMC and BLC.
Inner Temple (Master of the Bench) and Blackstone chambers.
Kieron Beal KC is a leading silk practising in all areas of commercial and civil law. He has particular expertise in competition law, European law, sports law, telecommunications, judicial review and human rights, VAT and other direct and indirect taxes.
Kieron was a member of the Attorney General’s ‘C’, ‘B’ and ‘A’ Panel from 1999 until March 2012. He has also been appointed as a special advocate. Since taking silk, he has continued to appear in a wide range of cases before all levels of Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales and before the Luxembourg and Strasbourg Courts. He was called to the Bar of Ireland in 2020. He was elected a Master of the Bench of the Inner Temple in 2016. Kieron was Chairman of the Bar European Group from July 2018 to July 2020. He sits as an arbitrator in sports law matters.
Kieron is recognised in both of the leading independent legal directories, Chambers UK 2019 and Legal 500 2020, as a leading silk for his expertise. He is Consultant Editor to Halsbury’s Laws, Vol. 18, Competition (forthcoming).
Kieron has been an incredible supporter of the CEEMC and the British Law Centre. He has prepared mooting advice, delivered lectures and spoken about life at the English Bar, representing one of our long-term sponsors (Inner Temple).
Grayston & Company Law Firm
Peter Gjortler is a Danish qualified lawyer who has practiced EU law for more than 30+ years in private practice, public administration, judicial service and universities.
He was a referendaire (Legal Advisor) in AG Sharpston’s cabinet at the CJEU.
His practice areas focus on free movement, competition, state aid, environment, public procurement, intellectual property, public international law, and private international law.
He advises not only private clients but also the public sector, including extensive assistance for government agencies in a number of central and eastern European countries, and also teaches at several European universities.
Apart from international law firms, his professional experience includes time spent at the Ministry of Justice, the High Court of Appeal, and the Legal Adviser to the Danish Government, as well as the European Court of Justice, the University of Copenhagen and Riga Graduate School of law.
Peter has been extremely supportive of the CEEMC, including having helped in drafting CEEMC questions.
Clearly Gottlieb Law Firm
Vladimir Novak’s practice focuses on EU, U.S., and international competition law/antitrust, including complex merger control proceedings, cartel investigations, abuse of dominance cases, antitrust counseling, and litigation before EU Courts, as well as a wide range of issues under EU law and sports-related matters.
Vlad was a member of the CEEMC moot question drafting committee in 2022.
Clifford Chance
Adelina is a senior lawyer in the litigation department of Clifford Chance (Warsaw). She focuses on dispute resolution in commercial, financial and international law. In particular, she specialises in investment arbitration.
Adelina has vast experience acting for clients in court and arbitration proceedings gained in Clifford Chance’s Warsaw and London offices. She acts for foreign investors in international investment arbitration. She has acted in arbitration proceedings in Paris, London, Geneva, Brussels and Warsaw. She represents banks, financial institutions and auditors before the common courts and the Court of Justice of the EU. She has also advised clients from the energy, telecommunications, infrastructure and real estate sectors, as well as in disputes concerning unfair competition and M&A.
Other Academic Institutions
Reader (Senior Lecturer), Cambridge University.
Fellow and Director of Studies in Law, Corpus Christi College
Book reviews editor, Law Quarterly Review
Jonathan Morgan read Jurisprudence at Oxford, later moving to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge to write his PhD thesis “In defence of freedom of contract”.
He was previously a lecturer in English Law at the British Law Centre and maintains links with legal education in Central and Eastern Europe as a trustee of the charity which organises the BLC and the CEEMC (Juris Angliae Scientia Ltd).
He held tutorial fellowships at Christ’s College, Cambridge and St Catherine’s College, Oxford before returning to Corpus as a Fellow in 2012.
University of Westminster.
Adam Lazowski is a Professor in EU Law at Westminster University. He has also worked at the T.M.C. Asser Institute (The Hague).
He writes prolifically on EU law and his work has been cited by Advocates General at the Court of Justice of the European Union.
He has given oral evidence to the EU Select Committee of the House of Lords (an inquiry into the EU enlargement process).
He actively participates in various EU law training programmes for practitioners inter alia in Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Estonia. In Estonia, he served as a mid-term expert in an EU-financed biannual project. In that capacity, he provided extensive training to national lawyers as well as co-writing a distance-learning course combined with a series of case studies aimed at Estonian judges. Most recently he was involved in the training of Polish officials for the forthcoming Presidency in the European Union (2011).
Over the past years he has delivered guest lectures at University of Surrey, University of Sussex, University of Leicester, University of Rotterdam, University of Warsaw, University of Tartu, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, the European Law Academy (ERA) in Trier, University of Zagreb, University of Luxembourg, University of Basel.
Adam also graduated the British Law Centre Diploma and later joined the BLC Teaching Team. He was also a CEEMC Team Coach. In 2022, Adam was a member of the CEEMC moot question drafting committee.