Current News

A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law in Hamburg and the University of Edinburgh have received a significant grant from the German Research Foundation (the DFG) and the British Arts and Humanities Research Council (the AHRC) for the project Fashion’s PLACE – Private (International) Law and Circular Economy. more

Published by the Institute in partnership with the German-Japanese Association of Jurists, the Zeitschrift für Japanisches Recht/Journal of Japanese Law (ZJapanR/J.Japan.L.) documents and analyses the myriad lines of development of Japanese law. Consistent with the Journal’s editorial concept, all areas of Japanese law are covered. The German and English contributions making up the latest issue address a number of current topics and also include a legal history analysis. more

The Institute first published the Hamburger Leitlinien für die Ermittlung und Anwendung ausländischen Rechts in deutschen Verfahren in 2023. This guide is now available in English as the Hamburg Guidelines for Ascertaining and Applying Foreign Law in German Litigation (the Hamburg Guidelines). Along with the English edition, the Institute has also issued a revised German edition of the guidelines. Both versions are available in print and online, free of charge. more

Together with the German-Japanese Association of Jurists (DJJV), the Australian Network for Japanese Law (ANJeL), and the Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, the Institute hosted a conference titled “1985–2025: 40 Years of Research on Japanese Law at the MPI. Time to Add New Voices” from 13 to 15 November 2025. The conference featured the participation of speakers from numerous Asian countries and addressed the role and relevance of Japanese law in the region.  more

On 19 November 2025, Reinhard Zimmermann, Director Emeritus at the Institute, received the 2025 Dr. Günther Buch Prize for outstanding achievement in the humanities as conferred by the Johanna and Fritz Buch Memorial Foundation. The award ceremony took place at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. more

On 6 November 2025, Maryam Blumenthal, Senator for Science, Research, and Equality of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, made her first official visit to the Institute. Discussions focused on current Institute research projects, the importance of science communication, and the Institute’s upcoming 100th anniversary. more

Denise Wiedemann, senior research fellow and head of the Institute’s Centre of Expertise on Latin America successfully completed her post-doctoral studies (Habilitation) at Bucerius Law School in the 2025 Fall Trimester. She was awarded her lecture qualification for the subjects of civil law, private international law, civil procedure law, and comparative law. more