The Berkeley East European Law Society (BEELS), founded in the spring of 2002, is one of the few law school organizations in the country specifically designed for the scholarly investigation of legal issues pertaining to East and Central Europe, as well as former Soviet Republic states. BEELS is a forum in which students, scholars, and professionals gather and engage in intellectual discourse about past, present, and forthcoming issues in East European law.

We are an entirely student-run organization; the leadership is comprised mostly of law school students, but membership is open to graduate students in other departments. There are no requisites for joining other than an interest in East European law or culture. No knowledge of a foreign language is required, although the organization does sponsor events and support networks that provide an opportunity to practice languages.

We sponsor a monthly speaker series in conjunction with social events that feature authentic East European food, and participate in events sponsored by the Slavic Institute at Berkeley.  For the Month of February, our guest speaker will be the noted Professor Bernard S. Black of Stanford Law School.  Details are below:

  
  

 

Monthly Speaker Series: "Institutional Reform in Russia"

Professor Bernard S. Black, Stanford Law School

February 27th, Thursday, 12:30-1:50, Room 140 (Boalt Hall)

The Berkeley East European Law Society would like to invite you to join us for lunch and hear a talk by one of the most noted scholars of corporate and securities law, Professor Bernard S. Black of Stanford Law School. The lecture will be on Thursday, February 27th, from 12:30-1:50 in Room 140 (Boalt Hall). We will be serving a variety of authentic Eastern European food (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options will be available).

Professor Black has a distinguished professional and academic background. He was Counsel to Commissioner Joseph Grundfest of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and has advised securities and company law reform in many countries, including Armenia, Indonesia, Korea, Mongolia, Russia, and Ukraine, and Vietnam. He has written many articles on corporate finance, corporate and securities law, and corporate governance. He is co-author of Bernard Black, Reinier Kraakman & Anna Tarassova, Guide to the Russian Law on Joint Stock Companies (1998) and Ronald Gilson & Bernard Black, The Law and Finance of Corporate Acquisitions (2d ed. 1995 and supplement 1998).  We hope you will come join us to support our relatively new organization, so that we will be able to continue to bring quality speakers and educate the university on Eastern European law. 

Sincerely,

BEELS Board