Paulina Jo Pesch

Prof. Dr. Paulina Jo Pesch is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Law and Technology at Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany. Her research focuses on Internet/IT law, data protection law, electronic payments, and decentralized virtual currencies. She has held postdoctoral positions at the University of Münster (part-time) and University of Innsbruck, alongside legal training as a Trainee Lawyer in Berlin’s judicial system, including roles at the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office, Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection, and law firms.

Education includes a Ph.D. (Dr. iur.) in Law from the University of Münster (2016), a specialization in Information/Telecommunication Law, and legal examinations (First and Second State Examinations). Her work bridges legal and technical domains, addressing challenges posed by emerging technologies like blockchain, AI, and generative models under GDPR and cybersecurity frameworks.

Publications emphasize regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies, AI ethics, digital forensics, and consent management in ad-tech. She co-authored the BITCRIME project’s recommendations for cryptocurrency regulation and contributed to studies on financial sector cybersecurity for Germany’s BaFin. Her research frequently intersects cybercrime prevention, intellectual property, and cross-border legal harmonization.

Prof. Pesch’s career combines academic rigor with practical legal experience in tech sectors. She advises on IT security law, participates in interdisciplinary projects, and teaches at FAU. Current work explores generative AI’s legal implications, blockchain governance, and data protection in decentralized systems.