Isabelle Ley

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Isabelle Ley is the Acting Chair of International Law at Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Winter 2024/25 to Summer 2025) and holds a permanent Research Associate position at Heidelberg University (since July 2022), seconded to the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law. Her academic career includes a Habilitation in Public Law, International and European Law, and Constitutional Theory (2025), and roles as Senior Lecturer at the Max Planck Institute (2013–2017) and Judge at Berlin’s District Court (2019–2020).

Education: Law, Political Science, and Philosophy studies at the Universities of Heidelberg, Sciences Po Paris, and Hamburg (2000–2006), followed by doctoral training in the DFG Research Training Group “Constitution beyond the State” (2007–2010). Key research focuses include structural changes in international and constitutional law, European institutions, and arms export regulation.

Research Interests: Her work bridges international law, EU law, and comparative constitutional law. Current projects explore multi-level systems in arms export regulation, the role of the High Representative in EU external action, and the evolving state-church relationship. She has published widely on legal theory, security administration, and institutional law.

Scientific Awards: 2013 Doctoral Prize (Humboldt University), 2014 Otto Hahn Medal (Max Planck Society).

Advising & Grants: Supervised the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court (2024/25), organized major conferences on religious policy reform and democratic representation. Active in grants through DFG-funded research.

Labs/Teams: Leading the Habilitation project “Arms Export Regulation in a Multi-Level System” (supervised by Prof. Anne Peters) and collaborating with institutions like the Hertie School and Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences.