History of the MIPLC Alumni Association

    In the light of the rapid growth of a wide-spread network of the MIPLC, meaning its students, professors, colleagues, and sponsors, after the graduation of the second generation of the MIPLC class, a demand of having an established MIPLC Alumni Association became manifest. In March 2006 an informal meeting was held in Munich, between the program director Wolrad Prinz zu Waldeck und Pyrmont and a number of former and, at that time, current MIPLC students, where the fundamentals of such association as well as the principles of its charter have been discussed. In particular, primary ideas as well as the philosophy of the Alumni Association, which reflected the expressed wish of the MIPLC students to have their Alumni, were actively debated.

    The official foundation of the MIPLC Alumni Association took place on 15 May 2006 at the second MIPLC Alumni Reunion. The lively ceremony in Munich was attended by numerous MIPLC students from 2003/2004, 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 classes as well as by the prominent MIPLC Faculty members such as Professor Dr. Michael Kort, the Dean of the University of Augsburg, Professor Frederick M. Lawrence, the Dean of the George Washington University Law School, Professor Martin Adelman, the Honourable Judge Randall R. Rader, the internship sponsors and other distinguished practitioners. During the Reunion the Charter of the MIPLC Alumni Association was adopted by a great majority of the participants, thus becoming the basis for the growth and the further activities of the Alumni. On the same event the first Board of the MIPLC Alumni Association consisting of eight students from two first MIPLC classes (Anna Bacchin (Italy), Claudia Hiebsch (Germany), Paul Fairhurst (South Africa), Kristina Janusauskaite (Lithuania), Christoph Laub (Germany), Erhard Plankensteiner (Germany), Eva Riemann (Germany), and Zhen Wu (China)) was elected. 

    In the following foundation phase, the Board devoted its intense activity on how to interpret the scopes and purposes embodied in the Charter into the activities and structure of the MIPLC Alumni Association by enhancing both its international nature and the interdisciplinary educational background. 

    In its first year of operation the MIPLC Alumni has completed the administrative steps required for registration with the Amtsgericht of Munich, according to German Law, set up this official web site and gathered several registered members. The third Alumni Reunion, taking place on 14 May 2007 will host the first General Assembly based on the adopted official Charter.

    The Association works in close cooperation with the MIPLC which provides considerable support and help while organizing the MIPLC Alumni events and other activities. It also looks forward to widening the network and cooperation possibilities with the MIPLC Faculty members and sponsors, so that the aims of the Association, significant plans and activities grow in reality and not in ambition only!