BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law 2026 | Shortlist announced

The shortlist for the BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law 2026 has been announced. The judging panel has nominated four master’s theses. The winner will be announced on Thursday 19 November 2026, during the award ceremony at the BUREN office in The Hague.

About the BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law
The BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law is an annual prize for the author of the best master’s thesis in the field of insolvency law. BUREN presents the prize in collaboration with Celsus Juridische Uitgeverij. Entries are open to master’s theses written at a Dutch university, in Dutch or English, with a grade of 8 out of 10 or higher.

What does the winner receive?
The winner of the BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law 2026 receives:

• a cash prize of €1,000;
• publication of the thesis in book form by Celsus Juridische Uitgeverij, with five author copies;
• by arrangement, the opportunity to complete a student internship in the Restructuring & Insolvency practice group at BUREN.

The judging panel
The judging panel for the BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law 2026 comprises:

• Prof. mr. H. Koster, professor of Company Law at Leiden University
• Mr. dr. H.J. de Kloe, assistant professor of Insolvency Law and Company Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam
• Mr. M.J.H. Vermeeren, partner and lawyer at BUREN

The judging panel assesses all theses anonymously. After careful consideration, it has compiled the shortlist of nominees.

Shortlist: the 2026 nominees
The following four theses have been nominated for the BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law 2026:

• Mylan Smeets
  De rol van de hardheidsclausule in verhouding tot de beoogde doorstroom naar de Wsnp
  Download thesis
• Thijs van Zuethem
  De WHOA en paulianeuze rechtshandelingen: een rijdende trein zonder achteruitkijkspiegel? Een onderzoek naar mogelijke oplossingen voor de aanpak van paulianeuze rechtshandelingen vóór aanvang van het WHOA-traject, vanuit een rechtsvergelijkende invalshoek
  Download thesis
• Rosanne de Bock
  Terug naar Heiploeg? De toekomst van de pre-packprocedure in het licht van het wetsvoorstel Wovof II en de Europese Harmonisatierichtlijn
  Download thesis
• Lucas Spoelstra
  De curator in het gedrang: over de preferentie van de boedelvordering tot vergoeding van kosten gemaakt ter afwikkeling van een negatieve boedel
  Download thesis

Award ceremony on Thursday 19 November 2026
The winner of the BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law 2026 will be announced on Thursday 19 November 2026, during a ceremony at the BUREN office in The Hague. We look forward to welcoming the nominees and celebrating their impressive achievements.

Stay informed
We will announce the winner on our website and social media channels. Keep an eye on our updates for the latest news about the BUREN Thesis Prize for Insolvency Law 2026.