Patna: Corporate law stepped out of textbooks and into the courtroom, boardroom and negotiating table as Chanakya National Law University’s (CNLU) Centre for Advanced Research in Corporate and Investment Law (CARCIL) successfully hosted the three-day CNLU-CARCIL National Corporate Fest 2026 (CNCF’26) that ended on Saturday.The event brought together students, academicians, practising lawyers and corporate professionals from across the country, creating a vibrant national platform for debate, research and hands-on learning in the rapidly changing fields of securities, insolvency and FinTech law.The fest opened with the 4th CARCIL National Conference on Securities Law, themed ‘The metamorphosis of capital markets in the digital age.’ More than 150 participants representing institutions from 44 Indian cities engaged with leading practitioners on emerging issues ranging from the Securities Markets Code, 2025 and regulatory enforcement to algorithmic accountability, regulatory sandboxes, IPOs, REITs and InvITs. A research-paper presentation added an academic dimension to the discussions.The practical thrust of the fest came alive in the National CIRP Simulation Competition, which attracted more than 40 teams from leading law and business schools. Participants virtually assumed the roles of resolution professionals, creditors and resolution applicants, navigating the entire insolvency resolution process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. IIM-Rohtak emerged winner, with DSNLU as runner-up.The concluding National Deal Negotiation Competition on FinTech laws tested the participants’ ability to think like transactional lawyers and corporate professionals. More than 24 teams competed, with the finalists being judged on strategic bargaining, problem-solving, settlement skills and their ability to balance risk and reward in complex commercial negotiations.Beyond competitions and conference sessions, CNCF’26 offered a glimpse of the future of corporate law.Under the leadership of CARCIL director Ajay Kumar and co-director Nandita S Jha, the fest successfully blended scholarship with simulation and professional practice. Cultural evenings featuring ghazal, chhou and sufi performances added a distinctive cultural dimension to the fest.
