The William & Mary Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference went international  in October when it held its 13th annual program at the seat of the World Court, the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. During the three-day event, internationally renowned Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto was honored with the 2016 Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Prize.

De Soto, President of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy (ILD), headquartered in Lima, Peru, is recognized around the globe for his work in developing national economies and establishing private property rights especially for the impoverished.

Lynda Butler, Chancellor Professor of Law and Director of the William & Mary Property Rights Project, praised de Soto for demonstrating the significance of property rights for developing nations.“

Hernando has singlehandedly brought the world’s attention to the importance of property rights to the poor and to their informal economies,” Butler said. “Amazingly, his work appeals both to the left and to the right: the left because of his practical ideas for battling poverty and war through property rights and the right because of his innovative thinking about how to bring market capitalism and property rights to the poor.”

As the 2010 prize winner, Carol Rose of Yale Law School, further explained: “A particularly influential part of his work has focused on the benefits of formalizing previously informal land titles, and his writings have put a spotlight on the importance of institutional transparency for leveraging the market futures of property’s ownership.”

The conference, sponsored by the William & Mary Property Rights Project, was presented in cooperation with the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies of Leiden University in The Hague.

Designed to bring together members of the bench, bar, and academia to explore recent developments in the law that affect property rights, the conference provides outstanding panel discussions and encourages active participation from the audience.De Soto is the author of The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumph.

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