Isabelle Wildhaber

Prof. Dr. Isabelle Wildhaber serves as a Professor of Private and Commercial Law with a special focus on Labor Law at the University of St. Gallen's Law School. She has held this position since August 2015 and previously served as an Assistant Professor at the same institution from 2010 to 2015. Additionally, she directs the Research Institute for Work and Working Worlds (FAA-HSG), positioning her at the forefront of contemporary labor law scholarship.

Her academic credentials include:

• International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma from Ashbury College, Ottawa (1991)
• Law studies summa cum laude at the Universities of Basel and Geneva (1991-1996)
• Doctorate summa cum laude at the University of Basel (1998-1999)
• LL.M. at Harvard Law School (2000-2001)
• Habilitation at Humboldt University of Berlin (2006-2010)
• Venia Legendi for Private and Commercial Law from the University of Zurich (2011)

Wildhaber's research pioneers Labor Law 4.0, examining how digital transformation reshapes employment through smart work, borderless working environments, and technology integration. Her work critically analyzes legal frameworks governing automation, robotics, and digital platforms while addressing emerging challenges in social media, life sciences, and risk management. She investigates the tension between traditional labor protections and innovation-driven work models, emphasizing practical regulatory adaptations for the digital age.

Her distinguished recognition includes:

• SNSF scholarship for prospective researchers (1998-1999)
• Faculty Prize of the University of Basel (2000)
• Professor Walther Hug Prize (2001)
• Scholarship holder of the Swiss Academic Society (2000-2001)
• Harvard Law School Gammon Fellow (2000-2001)
• SNSF Fellowship for Advanced Researchers (2006-2009)

Wildhaber actively supervises students across all academic levels while teaching foundational and specialized courses including Introduction to Private Law, Liability Law, and advanced seminars on Robotics, AI, and Legal Tech. Through the FAA-HSG institute, she leads interdisciplinary research teams investigating the societal and legal dimensions of evolving work structures, with particular emphasis on digital disruption and future-oriented labor policy development.