Thomas Wilmer

Prof. Dr. Thomas Wilmer serves as Professor of Information Law at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (h_da) since March 2002, where he also holds the position of Managing Director of the Institute for Information Law (i2r) and Deputy Program Director for International Licensing Law (LL.M.). His institutional roles include Data Protection Officer, member of the CIO Committee, and member of the Examination Board for Information Law. Wilmer leads the "IT Distribution to South America" project and serves as BAföG Commissioner.

Wilmer completed his law studies at Heidelberg University (1988-1993), earned his doctorate in 1996 from the same institution, and passed his Second State Examination the same year. He practiced as an attorney at Hahn & Wilmer law firm in Heidelberg from 1996 to 2005 before transitioning to academia.

His research focuses on software law, artificial intelligence law, platform economy regulation, data protection, compliance frameworks, intellectual property, and social media legal issues. Wilmer has published extensively on emerging legal challenges in technology, with particular emphasis on AI regulation, data protection frameworks, and intellectual property in digital contexts. His work bridges theoretical legal principles with practical applications in business and technology environments.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong scholarly focus on the legal implications of artificial intelligence, particularly regarding contract formation with AI systems, regulatory compliance for generative AI, and intellectual property rights for AI-generated content. His work also addresses critical issues in data protection law, including consent mechanisms, data processing legality, and GDPR implementation challenges in Germany. Wilmer's research demonstrates consistent engagement with cutting-edge legal issues at the technology-law intersection.

• Member of Deutsch-Brasilianischen Juristenvereinigung (DBJV)
• Member of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Recht und Informatik (DGRI)
• Board Member of Instituto de Direito e Tecnologia (IDTEC) do Rio de Janeiro
• Co-Chair of "Digitale Wirtschaft und Plattformökonomie" committee at DGRI since 2018
• Leader of Task Force "KI und IP" of Plattform Industrie 4.0 since 2025

Wilmer maintains extensive international engagement, having served as scientific representative in Chancellor Angela Merkel's economic delegation to Latin America in 2008, participated in Hessian delegation trips to Brazil and Argentina in 2013, and organized workshops at AHK Shanghai. He leads the Athene project "Systematic Privacy for Large, Real-life Data Processing Systems" and coordinates interdisciplinary projects on IT distribution to South America, reflecting his commitment to addressing global challenges in information law through practical applications and international collaboration.