Hanno Merkt

Prof. Dr. Hanno Merkt, LL.M. (University of Chicago) is a University Professor and Director of the Institute for Foreign and International Private Law at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg since 2003. He holds a habilitation and doctorate from the University of Münster and Hamburg, respectively, and has held prominent roles such as Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2010) and Judge at the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe (2008–2025). His expertise spans civil law, commercial law, corporate governance, and international private law.

Education:

• Bachelor of Law (1987), Master of Laws (1989) from University of Münster
• Doctorate (1989) under Otto Sandrock
• Habilitation (2000) at University of Hamburg

Research Interests: Focuses on corporate law dynamics, capital market regulation, accounting law, and comparative law. His work emphasizes legal harmonization, corporate governance, and the interplay between EU law and national frameworks. Key areas include audit regulation, cross-border transactions, and the impact of global financial crises on legal systems.

Awards: Recognized for his habilitation thesis (1st Prize, German Stock Institute 1999) and dissertation (University of Münster 1990).

Professional Roles: Served as an expert for multiple German ministries, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, and holds editorial roles in journals like the ZGR (Journal of Corporate and Company Law). Active in international law societies and advisory roles.

Labs/Teams: Leads research initiatives at the Institute for Foreign and International Private Law, collaborating with global scholars on projects like the EU Company Law Reform and cross-border legal harmonization.