A new kind of laboratory to better understand bankruptcy and insolvency
Université Laval and Université de Montpellier today announced the creation of the Laboratoire international associé : contrats, sûretés et insolvabilité des consommateurs et des entreprises (LIA-CSI). Under the co-direction of Professor Aurore Benadiba, from Université Laval's Faculty of Law, and Christophe Albiges, Professor at Université de Montpellier's Faculty of Law and Political Science, LIA-CSI's mission will be to contribute to critical and ongoing reflection on consumer and business protection in a fragile economic context.
"One of our main research interests will be to assess the effectiveness of legal tools for preventing and dealing with the difficulties of insolvent or bankrupt businesses and consumers, whether in Quebec, Canada or France," explained the co-directors. In particular, we will be looking at the effects of COVID-19 on insolvent or bankrupt micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and low-income consumers, the transformation of financing and restructuring methods for MSMEs, and the implications of French security law reform for the practices of credit institutions." LIA-CSI's scientific activities will promote collaborative work with professionals and stakeholders in the field, in order to meet the needs and practical challenges of the law.
An associated international laboratory is a structuring entity in which a teaching and research team from Université Laval and one from an international university join forces around a jointly defined scientific program. This unique research vehicle encourages the complementarity of teams, increases training and research capacity, and promotes student and faculty mobility.
"It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that the Université de Montpellier today welcomes the official announcement of the establishment of the LIA: contracts, securities and insolvency of consumers and businesses with Université Laval, a long-standing and privileged partner. The creation of this program is the most recent success of the close collaboration between our two universities," said François Pierrot, Vice President, International Relations, Université de Montpellier.
The inauguration of this laboratory marks ten years of fruitful collaboration between Professors Albiges and Benadiba, and testifies to the high quality of their research," said Eugénie Brouillet, Vice-Rector, Research, Creation and Innovation at Université Laval. I'm convinced that the results of the work to be carried out in this LIA will help us find solutions to major problems such as consumer and corporate overindebtedness, and the impact of financial crises on vulnerable people".
"The Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Montpellier is honoured to announce today the creation of the Laboratoire international associé : contrats, sûretés et insolvabilité des consommateurs et des entreprises. This structuring entity reaffirms and formalizes the long-standing ties between the faculties of law at Université Laval and Montpellier," said Guylain Clamour, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the Université de Montpellier.
"In addition to consolidating ties between the two partner universities, the creation of this new structuring entity will bring together highly qualified researchers and stimulate national and international interdisciplinary research on important issues. This association between the two law faculties is all the more significant in that it is the first international laboratory associated in the field of law at Université Laval and in the province of Quebec", concluded the Dean of Université Laval's Faculty of Law, Anne-Marie Laflamme.