Wim Albert Timmermans. Some Personal Memories of Professor Lebedev

Ниже речь идет о следующей работе: Timmermans W.A. Carriage of Goods by Sea in the Practice of the USSR Maritime Arbitration Commission. – Dordrecht [etc.]: Kluwer Academic Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publihers, 1990. – 350 p. – (Law in Eastern Europe: no. 43).

The first time I heard of Professor Lebedev was when in the eighties of last century I decided to write my doctor’s thesis on maritime arbitration in the then USSR. I learnt that he was the chairman of the USSR Maritime Arbitration Commission, the arbitral awards of which I was going to use for highlighting the practice of maritime law in the Soviet Union. So, when I first wrote an article on MAC and procedural aspects of arbitrating before MAC, I sent a copy thereof to Professor Lebedev and to my great pleasure he wrote me a very nice and encouraging answer back. When I finished my doctor’s thesis in 1990, again I sent a copy to Sergei Nikolaevich and he wrote me back and congratulated me with receiving the doctor’s grade at Leiden University. Also, he wrote a very positive review of my thesis. Later, in the 90s I had a chance to meet him in person, as I got involved in various legal reform projects in Russia and the other CIS countries. In that frame, I visited Russia many times and had the chance to meet him and have a chat with him. I paid him a visit at MGIMO, where he received me with his usual friendliness, giving me a tour through the lecturing rooms, the library and office spaces. We discussed the draft bankruptcy law being the subject I was involved in at the time. But as always, he was very much interested in how I was doing and in what kind of other projects and work I was engaged. Later on, when I was appointed arbitrator with ICAC and MAC, I had a chance to meet him more often and watch his excellent performance and sharp wit in various arbitration proceedings – not only in Moscow but also at other venues such as Stockholm. In one such an arbitration we both acted as experts but on opposite sides. At that occasion, too, he remained warm and friendly, even complimented me on my knowledge of Russian law.

Apart from an impressive academic career, Professor Lebedev was also very much engaged in international legislative work, for instance, in the preparation of the Rotterdam Rules. He participated in the international conference in Rotterdam where the Rotterdam Rules were officially launched. There, he was greatly praised and lauded for his contributions.

Professor Lebedev will be greatly missed by his family, colleagues, friends and the international shipping law and arbitration community. May his memory be a blessing for us all.

Dr. Wim Albert Timmermans, Advocaat, Leiden, The Netherlands; Lecturer (em.), Leiden University; Arbitrator with (inter alia) the ICAC and the MAC at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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