Student Blanca Muñoz wins the White & Case Award for her research on blockchain in the area of financial securities

Six years ago, White & Case, one of the world’s top law firms, and IE University, signed an agreement to create the first “IE White & Case End of Degree Prize”, a result of a joint commitment of both institutions to foster talent and a culture of excellence among law students, who will be leading the legal counsel sector in the near future. The winner receives a scholarship funded jointly by the IE Foundation and White & Case to study a postgraduate program, in this case, Blanca will continue her journey at IE and pursue the Double Masters in Acceso a la Abogacía and Asesoría Jurídica de Empresas.

This year, Blanca Muñoz, graduated student of the Dual Degree in Law and Business Administration, received the White & Case Awards for her exceptional research paper titled ‘Proprietary Rights Over Securities Held Through the Blockchain. A Conflict of Laws Perspective’.

We are proud and congratulate student Blanca Muñoz for sharing the results of her thorough work and her innovative approach to law and technology.

Why did you decide to study law? 

Interestingly, what initially drew me to the BBA-LLB degree was actually the BBA degree, and I was in fact quite torn between studying Law or International Relations. However, when I learned that IE offered a comparative law degree, I was instantly drawn to the idea of being able to understand the framework under which companies operate, not only in Spain but also on an international level.

Eventually, I chose to study law because I thought that it would give me an opportunity to be challenged in a way that was intellectually stimulating and allowed me to apply practical problem solving. Now, as my degree has come to a close, I could not be happier with my decision, as I have in fact decided to pursue a career in law.

“Without a doubt, the biggest highlight of my experience at IE University has been being surrounded by such driven, hard-working and genuinely kind classmates”.

 

What do you highlight from the five-year experience in the LLB at IE University? Did you get involved in extracurricular activities? 

As I look back at the last five years, I feel extremely grateful for the people I have met along the way. Without a doubt, the biggest highlight of my experience at IE University has been being surrounded by such driven, hard-working and genuinely kind classmates. Although I really enjoyed taking part in seminars and extra curriculars, I think that what I appreciated the most were the discussions and debates that took place during our day-to-day lectures. At IE, we are extremely lucky to be able to learn first-hand from professors who are experts in their field in a small class setting, so I really enjoyed getting to build close connections with my professors and knowing that I can still look to them for guidance now.

What are your hobbies?

I really enjoy being out in nature, and I think that this has become even more apparent since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, as we were urged to stay at home for months on end. After countless hours of online classes, face time calls and endless scrolling on social media, I have realized that one of the most fulfilling things for me is simply being out in nature with friends or with my family and exploring new hikes, trails or beaches. Throughout my life, I have been really lucky to have had the opportunity to travel a lot and to live in several different countries, so I generally really enjoy getting to explore different regions by going on hikes or runs.

“The conflicts of laws rules in place today are not suited for the blockchain environment, as they are based on connecting factors that cannot be applied to the blockchain, and I offer a possible solution for the challenge at hand.”

What was your final project about? 

My final paper explores one of the legal ramifications of blockchain technology in the area of financial securities. Specifically, I conducted an analysis of whether existing conflict of laws rules are suited to determine what is the law applicable to cryptosecurities, meaning securities that are held in the blockchain. Ultimately, I argue that the conflicts of laws rules in place today are not suited for the blockchain environment, as they are based on connecting factors that cannot be applied to the blockchain, and I offer a possible solution for the challenge at hand.

What are your plans after graduation? What areas of law are you interested in? 

I am really grateful for the scholarship that comes with this award, as it will give me the opportunity to continue my journey at IE and pursue the Double Masters in Acceso a la Abogacía and Asesoría Jurídica de Empresas.

During my degree, I particularly enjoyed the subjects related to corporate law, as this field combines my interest in business and my interest in law. Moreover, having written my final project on the intersection between the blockchain and securities law has made me realize that I am equally fascinated by legal tech and by capital markets law, so I am hoping to explore these two fields in the upcoming years.