Current News

Dr Ardavan Arzandeh is Associate Professor at the National University Singapore (NUS). The focus of his research is on commercial conflict of laws. In the context of an exchange program between NUS and Max Planck Law, he conducted research at the Institute in April 2026. more

The Hamburgische Wissenschaftliche Stiftung has appointed Institute Director Anne Röthel to its board of trustees. In addition to her many years of research and teaching experience, the legal scholar also brings leadership skills and academic vision to her new post. more

Initiated in 2009, the Special Editions of the Journal of Japanese Law create a platform for monographs as well as edited volumes and conference proceedings. Covering a variety of aspects in relation to Japanese law, the special editions supplement the Journal of Japanese Law, which has since 1996 made all fields of Japanese law accessible to German and international scholars and practitioners in western European languages. more

Jennifer Trinks, former senior research fellow at the Institute, has been appointed as professor at the BSP Business and Law School – Hochschule für Management und Recht. Beginning in the summer semester 2026, she will assume the position of Professor of Civil Law and Business Law at the Law Faculty on the Hamburg campus. more

Denise Wiedemann, former Institute senior research fellow and head of the Centre of Expertise on Latin America, will begin serving as Professor of Civil Law with emphasis on Family and Succession Law at Kiel University as of 1 April 2026.  more

From 1937 to 1946, Ernst Heymann led the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Foreign and International Private Law as successor to Ernst Rabel. On the occasion of the Institute’s 100-year anniversary, Heymann’s life, work, and impact is depicted by Reinhard Zimmermann, Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, the entity which emerged from the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. more

The International Association for Artificial Intelligence and Law (IAAIL) has honoured Wijnand van Woerkom, Institute research fellow in the Minerva Fast Track Research Group “Artificial Justice”, with the Donald H. Berman Best Student Paper Award. more