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Institute Publications

The Max Planck Institute publishes an array of works addressing fundamental questions in all fields of its eponymous areas of research: comparative and international private law. These in-house publications are supervised by the Directors, and on their behalf by research fellows and associates. Editorial work on the publications takes place largely within the Institute, where we coordinate cooperation with authors, reviewers, publishing houses and other service providers, as well as delivering print-ready manuscripts to our pertinent partners.

Current Publications

The Institute publishes several legal journals and print series in its own name, and its academic staff contributes in a variety of ways to other publications aiming at a scholarly treatment of the Institute’s fields of research. In addition to its own output, the Institute also supports the publication of suitable external research efforts. Particularly in the field of comparative and international law, the demand for thorough academic analysis and clear presentation of research findings extends beyond boundaries based on geography or language. Accordingly, the Institute is part of an international network and cooperates with renowned German and foreign publishing houses.

The Journal was founded in 1927 by Ernst Rabel as the central German depository and forum for foundational research on the international aspects of private law, economic and business law, and procedural law. Accordingly, the journal addresses comparative law, foreign law, international private law, international economic and business law, international civil procedure and the unification of law, including European law. [more]
The Max Planck Institute publishes three print series which address the topics of foreign and international private law. These publications regularly present important findings made in primary areas of Institute inquiry. All three series are open to contributions from external authors and editors. [more]
Since its founding in 1926, the Institute has published “Die deutsche Rechtsprechung auf dem Gebiete des Internationalen Privatrechts“ (IPRspr.) The German-language publication compiles decisions of German courts addressing topics of private international law and international civil procedure. [more]
On behalf of the German Council for Private International Law (Deutscher Rat für Internationales Privatrecht), the Institute has since 1965 been part of a cooperative effort publishing selected expert reports  (“Gutachten zum internationalen und ausländischen Privatrecht“ (IPG),) that have been prepared by the Institute or other academic entities for use primarily by German courts. [more]
Together with the German-Japanese Association of Jurists (DJJV), the Institute publishes the "Zeitschrift für Japanisches Recht/Journal of Japanese Law" (ZJapanR/J.Japan.L.). The Journal is an international periodical serving the needs of lawyers and scholars interested in Japanese law. It stands as the world’s only western-language publication which offers a regular and timely documentation and analysis of the myriad lines of development of Japanese law. [more]
The German Journal for Chinese Law ("Zeitschrift für Chinesisches Recht" (ZChinR)) is the only ongoing German-language publication addressing Chinese law. It publishes detailed reports and analyses, descriptions of current development in China, and translations of new and important Chinese legislation. The Journal is published by the German-Chinese Association of Jurists in cooperation with the Sino-German Institute for Legal Studies and the Max Planck Institute. [more]
The "Max Planck Institute for Comparative & International Private Law Research Paper Series" (in short, "Max Planck Private Law RPS") appears online as part of the Social Science Research Network (SSRN). The series makes available articles authored by staff members of the Institute which have recently been accepted for print publication in journals or edited volumes and which may also be published in the Institute’s "Accepted Paper Series". With such publication the Institute pursues the principle of open access as advocated by the Max Planck Society. [more]
The research activities of the staff of the Max Planck Institute also find outlet outside the journals and print series regularly published by the Institute. [more]
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