Sébastien Lanctôt is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Law, Université de Sherbrooke, teaching and researching in Insurance Law, Civil Liability, and the General Theory of Obligations since 2007. His legal practice focuses on civil and commercial litigation, particularly insurance law. Education: LL.B., LL.M., and LL.M. (Common Law) from Université de Montréal D.C.L. and Ph.D. from McGill University Research Interests: His work bridges insurance law with civil liability, obligations, and emerging challenges like climate change, genomic data privacy, and technological impacts on risk assessment. He explores interdisciplinary intersections between law, science, and ethics. Scientific Awards: Prix d’excellence professorale André-Morel (2006-2007) Insurance Law - Lawyer of the Year (2021, Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards) Prix de la Fondation du Barreau du Québec (2018) Grants: Recipient of funding from the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, Fondation du Barreau du Québec, and Chambre des notaires du Québec for projects on climate change impacts, digital learning platforms, and scientific evidence in legal proceedings.
Andrea Bertolini is an Associate Professor of Private Law at the Dirpolis Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, and also serves as an adjunct professor of private law at the University of Pisa. He directs and coordinates the Centre of Excellence on the Regulation of Robotics and AI (EURA), which was previously funded by the European Commission through the Jean Monnet Action. Additionally, he serves on the board of Fondazione 'Ai4Industry,' where he was nominated as a counselor by the Italian Ministero dell'Economia e della Finanza. His research spans private law (contracts, torts, law of obligations) to regulation of robotics and AI and technoethics, employing a comparative and law and economics approach. His work focuses on alternative liability models, product safety regulation, certification, insurance and risk management, human-machine interaction, user manipulation, and deception. Bertolini regularly consults national, international, and European policymakers on robotics and AI regulation through written studies and in-person hearings. His publications reflect his expertise across traditional legal domains and emerging technology regulation, demonstrating a consistent scholarly trajectory examining how legal frameworks adapt to technological innovation. His research interests include: Contract law and law of obligations Law and economics of contracts and liability rules Product liability and product safety Robolaw: law and robotics (and AI) Bioethics, Roboethics, Machine ethics Dr. Bertolini holds a joint degree from the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and the University of Pisa, a Ph.D. in private law from the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, and an LL.M. from Yale Law School. He is licensed to practice law in both Italy and New York.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Buğra Erdem is an Associate Professor at the Department of Commercial Law within the School of Law at Ankara Social Sciences University (since 2021), holding a full-time position. He also serves as a part-time faculty at Freie Universitaet Berlin 's Law School (Department of Competition Law) since 2021. Education: LL.B. in Law from Atılım University (2010-2015) LL.M. in Commercial Law from Birkbeck College, University of London (2023) Ph.D. in Commercial Law from Brunel University London (2018-2021) Postdoctoral Research at Trinity College Dublin 's Law Faculty (2024) Research Interests focus on Competition Law , Corporate Law , and Intellectual Property Law , with a particular emphasis on intersections between legal theory and practical applications in maritime contracts , corporate governance , and digital economies . Publication Trends include analyses of force majeure in maritime contracts , business judgment rules , and comparative advertising regulations , reflecting his expertise in EU competition law and innovation policy . Recent works explore blockchain technology's legal implications and cross-border consumer protection mechanisms. Advising includes supervising graduate theses on topics like crowdfunding in Turkey , social media trademark violations , and blockchain in data protection , with students such as Firuze Nazlıcan Göktolga and Kübra Nur Buyur .
Dr. May H. Blanchard serves as Associate Professor, Vice Chair, Division Chief of General Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Residency Program Director in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Nationally, she holds significant leadership roles including ACOG District IV Chair on the Board of Directors and active participation in CREOG and ABOG committees. Her educational background includes a BS in Management/Finance and Economics (magna cum laude) from Case Western Reserve University (1991), an MD from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (1996), and residency training at Case Western/Cleveland Clinic (2000), followed by Harvard's Leadership Development for Physicians program (2012). Research focuses on fibroid management, residency education, and family planning, with clinical work addressing patient safety and quality improvement in obstetrics. Her scholarly contributions emphasize innovative educational models and systemic challenges in women's healthcare delivery. Publication analysis reveals consistent themes: medical education evolution (particularly duty hour impacts and global health integration), physician well-being, and translational research in fibroid pathology and vaginal microbiome. Recent work increasingly addresses healthcare systems and policy barriers. Scientific Awards: No specific awards or fellowships were documented in the source material. Advising and Grants: As Residency Program Director, she oversees all obstetrics/gynecology trainees and serves as a 15-year ABOG oral examiner. While explicit grant funding isn't detailed, her CREOG curriculum development leadership and NEJM Knowledge+ contributions indicate substantial educational initiative involvement. Labs and Teams: She chairs the University of Maryland Medical System's Obstetric Patient Safety Committee and the State of Maryland Morbidity/Mortality Review Committee, while leading ACOG's District IV initiatives on patient safety, legislative affairs, and quality improvement.
Johannes Hygen Meyer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Private Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Oslo. He joined the university as an associate professor in September 2023. His academic work focuses on central property law, with expertise spanning tort law, contract law, and intellectual property law. His research interests include: Comparative law applications in property law Legal theoretical perspectives on property law Historical development of property law Impact of EU/EEA law on property law Meyer has developed a substantial body of scholarly work examining causation in tort law, contractual relationships, and intellectual property frameworks. His research often adopts comparative and historical perspectives to address contemporary legal challenges. Recent publications focus on emerging areas such as AI liability, product liability directives, and the use of foreign legal sources in national courts. His scholarly contributions demonstrate a consistent focus on methodological precision in legal reasoning, particularly in complex areas where traditional legal categories intersect with modern economic and technological developments. Meyer's professional experience includes: Lawyer at the Municipal Attorney's Office in Oslo Judge's assistant at Drammen District Court Associate at the law firm Thommessen He holds a Master of Laws from the University of Oslo (2010) and an LL.M. from the University of Cambridge (2011). He completed his PhD at the University of Oslo in 2021 with the thesis "From cause to responsibility: An analysis of the requirement of causation in historical, comparative and theoretical perspective," which included a research stay at the Centre de droit privé at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Meyer teaches contract law, purchase and tort law in the first year of study (JUS1111) and contract law and obligations in the third year of study (JUS3112). He has subject responsibility in contract law and regularly supervises master's theses in central property law. He is available for PhD supervision in central property law. He is affiliated with the Market, Innovation and Competition (MIK) research group at the University of Oslo.
Oliver Giesecke is a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, specializing in asset pricing, public finance, and municipal debt markets. His work examines state and local government finances, pension obligations, and fiscal policy. Research Interests Public pension sustainability Capital structure of government debt Economic impact of AI adoption Fiscal adjustment mechanisms Market-based valuation of public liabilities Key Publication Trends : Analysis of pandemic-era fiscal aid, pension funding dynamics, municipal finance dashboards, and AI integration in economics. His work combines empirical data with machine learning and structural modeling. Scientific Awards NASDAQ OMX Award for Best Paper on Asset Pricing Finalist, European Central Bank Young Economist Competition 2021 Honorable Mention, UEA North America Meeting 2021 Education : PhD in Finance and Economics (Columbia University), MA in Economics (Graduate Institute, Geneva), BA (Frankfurt University). Previously worked at Germany’s Federal Agency for Financial Market Stabilization and as a quantitative finance consultant. Tools : Developer of the Stanford Municipal Finance Dashboard, a national media-covered platform providing real-time credit spreads and fiscal fundamentals for U.S. state/local governments.
Dr Darren O'Donovan is a Senior Lecturer at the La Trobe Law School, La Trobe University, Australia since July 2016. He holds a BCL (Hons) and a PhD from University College Cork, Ireland, where he also lectured from 2009-2012. His expertise spans Administrative Law, Disability Law, and Social Security Law, with a focus on non-judicial review bodies and administrative justice. Current research projects include the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and social security systems. Education: BCL (Hons), University College Cork, Ireland PhD, National University of Ireland Research Interests: Administrative law, disability law, social security law, public administration, and legal education. His work emphasizes the role of non-judicial review bodies in delivering administrative justice, as highlighted in his co-authored book Law and Public Administration in Ireland and his analysis of the Irish Ombudsman published in Public Law . Teaching Interests: Administrative Law and the intersection of disability and law. Key Projects: Ongoing research includes the NDIS and social security appeals, particularly the robodebt controversy. He has also explored Roma housing rights and international migrants' rights through strategic litigation frameworks. Advising & Grants: No specific student advisees or grant details listed. His collaborative works include co-authoring multiple books and chapters on administrative justice and socio-legal methodologies. Labs/Teams: Not explicitly mentioned, but his research often involves interdisciplinary teams, such as co-authorships with experts in disability studies and public policy.
R. Lawrence Van Horn is an Associate Professor of Management, Law, and Health Policy at the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University. He directs the Center for Healthcare Market Innovation and holds courtesy appointments in the medical and law schools. His research focuses on consumer-driven healthcare markets, nonprofit governance, and price transparency. Van Horn has advised the White House on healthcare price transparency, co-directs the Nashville Healthcare Council Fellows Program with Senator Bill Frist, and serves on multiple healthcare company boards. Education includes a Ph.D. from the Wharton School (1997), an MBA and MPH from the University of Rochester (1992 and 1990). His work appears in journals like the Journal of Health Economics and New England Journal of Medicine. He has consulted with major hospitals and insurers on antitrust and data analysis, and his research influenced the 2019 Executive Order on healthcare price transparency. Professional roles include board memberships at Community Health Care Realty Trust (NYSE: CHCT), Savida, and Harrow Health. Beyond academia, he manages a cattle farm in Tennessee.
John L. Akula is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He leads the business law curriculum, focusing on legal challenges for startups, high-growth firms, and established companies. His expertise includes entrepreneurship legal risks, complex transactions, finance, and innovation in technology. Akula is affiliated with the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and holds academic positions in Behavioral and Policy Sciences. Before academia, he practiced law for 15 years, including roles at leading firms like Goodwin Procter, advising senior management and boards across industries like finance and healthcare. He earned a BA from Columbia University, a PhD in Sociology from Harvard University, and a JD from Harvard Law School. Education: BA, Columbia University PhD in Sociology, Harvard University J.D., Harvard Law School Akula's research interests span legal commitments in business contexts, regulatory policy, healthcare law, and the intersection of law with emerging technologies. His work explores how legal frameworks influence entrepreneurship, corporate governance, and public policy, particularly in high-risk industries like healthcare and financial services. Awards: National Science Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellow Russell Sage Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow Advising & Grants: Akula has advised numerous senior managers and corporate boards during his legal career, though no formal advisees or students are listed. His professional experience includes significant contributions to legislative drafting and trade association practices. Labs/Teams: Akula is part of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and contributes to the school’s executive education and international programs.
Lloyd Shields is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Tulane Law School, specializing in Historic Preservation Law. He is a member of the law firm Shields Mott, L.L.P., with 39+ years of experience in construction contracts, constitutional law, surety law, insurance defense, and intellectual property litigation. He also teaches at Loyola Law School on Louisiana Civil Procedure. Education: Juris Doctorate, Tulane University Master of Architecture, Tulane University Research Interests: Focuses on construction law, surety bonds, mediation practices, and historic preservation policy. Active in New Orleans preservation initiatives through roles like former President of the Preservation Resource Center and Chairman of the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission. Professional Contributions: Served on the American Arbitration Association's national board, led Louisiana's construction industry panel, and contributed to Louisiana's Civil District Court mediation program. Delivered over 200 presentations on negotiation, mediation, and legal topics nationally and internationally. Awards/Grants: No specific awards or grants mentioned in the text.
Philippe Ducor is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Geneva, where he has been teaching since 2004. He serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Commercial Law and previously directed the interdisciplinary master's program in life law. His academic work spans multiple faculties, including contributions to the MBL program at the Faculty of Law, the doctoral school in pharmaceutical sciences at the Faculty of Sciences, and bioethics courses at the Institute of Biomedical Ethics of the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Ducor holds dual doctorates in law and medicine, having studied at the Universities of Geneva and Stanford. Before transitioning to law, he practiced as an FMH specialist in internal medicine. His professional credentials include being a lawyer at the Geneva Bar and maintaining active medical qualifications alongside his legal career. Ducor's research focuses on the intersection of law and life sciences, with particular expertise in biotechnology law, pharmaceutical law, intellectual property, technology transfer, medical law, and health law. His scholarly work demonstrates a consistent pattern of addressing emerging ethical and legal challenges at the boundary between medical practice and legal frameworks, especially in areas involving patient rights, medical confidentiality, and biotechnological innovation. Recent publications show increasing attention to international and cross-border aspects of medical law. He actively participates in scholarly discourse through his membership on the scientific council of the Brocher Foundation, the editorial board of the Collection Médecine Société, and the council of the Fondation pour Recherches Médicales. Each year, he organizes specialized conferences dedicated to contemporary issues in the law of the living with colleagues from his master's program. As an academic advisor, Ducor has supervised doctoral theses including GUDNADOTTIR Urdur Ua's 2024 work on cross-border assisted reproduction and CAMPANELLI Alessandro's 2017 research on Swiss federalism in medical and pharmaceutical legislation. His teaching extends to multiple continuing education programs across faculties, including e-law, biosafety certification, and Good Clinical Trial Practices training.
Volkert Paulsen is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Mathematical Stochastics at the University of Münster. His career spans institutions including the University of Kiel, where he completed his Habilitation (2000), Dissertation (1994), and Diplomarbeit (1989). He has taught extensively in Financial Mathematics , Stochastic Analysis , and Mathematical Statistics , supervising over 50 Bachelor, Master, and Diploma theses on topics such as risk modeling, portfolio optimization, and derivative valuation. Research Interests: Paulsen's work focuses on Financial Mathematics (continuous-time models, American options, unit-linked insurance), Stochastic Analysis (optimal stopping, martingale methods), and Risk Modeling (credit risk, extreme value statistics). His publications include foundational studies on nonlinear observation costs in optimal stopping problems and stochastic approaches to portfolio management. Scientific Contributions: His research spans journal articles in Stochastic Processes and their Applications and Journal of Applied Probability , with recent seminar topics covering Lévy Processes , Copula Modeling , and Stochastic Volatility . He employs R for statistical applications and integrates mathematical theory with practical finance and insurance contexts. Contact: Email: Volkert.Paulsen@uni-muenster.de Room: 130.010, Orléans-Ring 10, 48149 Münster Phone: +49 251 83-33771
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Spitzer holds the Chair of Civil Law and Civil Procedure at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU Wien), where he has been a full professor since 2011. He serves as Program Director for Business Law and Institute Director at WU. Professor Spitzer is Editor-in-Chief of the Austrian Jurists' Journal (ÖJZ) and the Austrian Legal Archives (ÖJA), and co-editor of prominent legal commentaries including the ABGB commentary ("KBB"). His academic work spans both traditional civil law topics and modern commercial legal challenges. Professor Spitzer's research interests focus on the intersection of substantive and procedural civil law, with particular emphasis on banking law, inheritance law, insolvency law, collective legal protection, credit security law, tort law, and contract law. His work often takes comparative and historical perspectives, examining how civil law principles apply in contemporary commercial contexts. He has published extensively across all fields of civil and civil procedure law, with recent work exploring digitalization of legal processes, climate change liability, and human rights violations in global supply chains. His recent scholarly output demonstrates a clear trend toward addressing contemporary legal challenges through traditional civil law frameworks. Many publications examine how digital transformation impacts civil procedure, with particular focus on video hearings and electronic evidence. Other significant themes include banking regulation in times of crisis, consumer protection in financial services, and the evolving relationship between administrative decisions and civil proceedings. His work consistently bridges theoretical legal scholarship with practical applications for legal professionals. Excellent Teaching Award (2021, 2020, 2016) Innovative Teaching Award (2017) Insolvency Law Prize (Main Prize, 2014) Cardinal Innitzer Promotion Prize (2012) Walther Kastner Main Prize (2012) Capital Markets Prize (2012) Professor Spitzer plays a significant role in legal education through his position as Program Director for Business Law at WU Vienna. He co-founded Austria's best-selling legal textbook series (PSK, Bürgerliches Recht) with Stefan Perner, now in its 7th edition. He has supervised numerous doctoral students and research assistants who contribute to the chair's publication projects. Beyond academia, he maintains strong connections with legal practitioners through continuing education events for the judiciary and legal profession, including the Vienna Civil Court Day and Austrian Lawyers' Civil Law Day. His work extends to media commentary, expert opinions for public and private clients, and projects addressing social responsibility such as pharmaceutical supply chain resilience. The chair under Professor Spitzer organizes several major scientific events including the Banking Law Forum (since 2019), Forum for Civil Law (since 2016), Private Law Course including Civil Procedure (since 2014), Insurance Law Day (since 2021), Vienna Civil Court Day (since 2019), and Vienna Civil Law Day (since 2023). These events bring together academics, practitioners, and judges to discuss current developments in civil law. The chair also houses the editorial team for the Austrian Jurists' Journal and oversees publication of standard commentaries on key Austrian legal codes.
Jaana Norio is a Senior University Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki, where she also holds the Title of Docent. Her primary research focuses on insurance law and consumer law, with extensive publications analyzing Finnish Supreme Court (KKO) decisions. She maintains active roles in legal scholarship through peer review, editorial positions, and committee memberships. Her research spans: Insurance law frameworks and liability systems Consumer protection in financial services Legal interpretation of tort and contract disputes Compensation mechanisms for personal/property damage Publications (114+ outputs) predominantly feature commentaries on KKO rulings from 2020-2025, demonstrating consistent focus on: Consumer credit regulations Traffic/liability insurance jurisprudence Occupational health compensation Product liability standards Awards include: Best Article in Lakimies journal (2007) received twice (2008 & 2015) Merit Badge from Finnish Insurance Lawyers Association (2021) She supervises doctoral candidates and contributed to projects like The Customer and Internationalizing Financial Markets (2003-2007). Professional activities include memberships in the Olga ja Kaarle Oskari Laitisen Foundation and editorial work for Acta Legis Turkuensia.
Alex Weissensteiner is a Full Professor of Quantitative Finance and Rector at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (unibz). He previously held academic positions at Leopold Franzens University in Innsbruck, the University of Liechtenstein, and served as Professor of Financial Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark from 2013–2015. At unibz, he held leadership roles including Director of the Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Management (2015–2020) and Pro-Rector for Studies (2020–2024) before becoming Rector in 2024. His research focuses on Life-cycle asset allocation Parameter uncertainty in financial models Scenario generation for investment decisions Asset-liability management Market microstructure dynamics Information economics in financial markets Recent publications emphasize portfolio optimization under uncertainty, option-implied risk analysis, and agricultural risk management. His work combines theoretical finance with empirical validation, often applying quantitative methods to banking, insurance, and pension systems. Scientific recognition includes EU grants for "Understanding Pensions in Europe" (2016) and "Understanding Saving in Europe" (2019) Regular contributions to leading journals like Journal of Banking & Finance and Quantitative Finance Invited presentations at major finance conferences (Jackson Hole, AFA, DGF) As Rector, he maintains active research collaborations with scholars including Mogens Steffensen (University of Copenhagen), N. Branger, T. Dangl, and L. Garlappi. He serves on the editorial board of Risks journal and has consulted for provincial education policy bodies.
