QM–UNIDROIT Lecture: “The Liquidation of Banks and the Birth of a New International Standard”
On Wednesday 5 November 2025, students from the Banking and Finance Law LLM and related programmes attended the lecture titled “The Liquidation of Banks and the Birth of a New International Standard”, delivered by Professor Ignacio Tirado, Secretary General of UNIDROIT.
Professor Rosa M. Lastra, Sir John Lubbock Chair in Banking Law and Specialist Adviser to the Financial Services Regulation Committee of the House of Lords, chaired the session. It featured Clare Merrifield, Senior Legal Counsel at the Bank of England, as discussant.
The event, organised by the Queen Mary–UNIDROIT Institute for Transnational Commercial Law, was part of the Advisory Board Lecture Series, launched in October 2025. This monthly series offers students and academics the chance to engage directly with leading experts shaping the development and harmonisation of international commercial law.
During the discussion, participants examined how the Legislative Guide on Bank Liquidation establishes a new international standard to harmonise legal frameworks for the orderly liquidation of banks—an area traditionally governed by domestic law and marked by considerable divergence across jurisdictions. The exchange also highlighted how, by providing clear international guidance, the instrument aims to assist authorities in managing the failure of small and medium-sized banks more effectively, balancing market discipline with financial stability.
After the lecture, students had the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with Professor Tirado, Professor Lastra, and Ms Merrifield, gaining valuable insights into the ongoing development of global banking law standards.