Origins
How the Academy was founded and how its international network took shape.
Because many persons, including members, have asked how the Academy first began, this history is summarized here.
The Founding Idea (1981)
In 1981, Professor Donald King proposed that there should be both:
- recognition of outstanding scholars in commercial and consumer law, and
- an international network to support the exchange of ideas.
He concluded that an international academy could fulfill both purposes.
Professor King’s experience helped make this possible. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1957, he taught commercial law at several American universities. Over the years, he wrote law journal articles, published casebooks, delivered continuing legal education lectures for lawyers, and organized national conference discussions. Through this work, he developed a wide acquaintance with leading authorities throughout the United States.
Building an International Network
Professor King also spent three months each summer in Europe for seven years. Traveling extensively, he met and spoke with many commercial and consumer law professors and came to know leading authorities in England and Europe.
During sabbaticals he traveled further, including an around-the-world tour in the 1970s. Beginning in the late 1960s, he also attended most of the annual Canadian conferences on Commercial and Consumer Law, organized by Professor Jacob Ziegel. These meetings strengthened connections with scholars from Canada and several Commonwealth nations.
Identifying Scholars Across Regions
Professor King sought suggestions for additional candidates, including from countries that were underrepresented. Among those especially helpful in identifying scholars across jurisdictions were:
- Boris Kozolchyk and Miguel Acosta Romero (with additional knowledge of Central and South America)
- Roy Goode and Jacob Ziegel (with additional knowledge of England, Canada, and the Commonwealth)
- Ulrich Drobnig (with additional knowledge of Western and Eastern Europe)
- David Harland, Mary Hiscock, and David Allan (with additional knowledge of the Australian region)
- Jan Hellner (with additional knowledge of Scandinavia)
- Bernd Stauder (with additional knowledge of consumer law experts)
The First Conference and Founding Members (Mexico City, 1983)
Special acknowledgment is due to Dean Miguel Acosta Romero and Professor Arcelia Quintana for their work organizing the first Academy conference in Mexico City, Mexico.
At this conference, officers were formally elected and major principles and organizational matters were undertaken. Members who attended this conference were named Founding Members, including:
- Miguel Acosta Romero
- Arcelia Quintana
- Donald King
- Ronald Cuming
- William Neilson
- Pedro Silva-Ruiz
- Robert Riegert
- Hal Scott
- Raul Etcheverry
- Ignacio Winizky
- Boris Kozolchyk
- Laureano Gutierrez-Falla
Continuity and Growth
Those who organized conferences in both earlier and later years (as described in the Conferences section) also deserve great credit for helping to solidify the Academy, along with those who faithfully attended.
Over the years, suggestions from members helped shape the Academy’s current membership and sustain its role as a global forum for scholarship and exchange.