Thomas Jaeger is a Professor of European Law at the University of Vienna’s Faculty of Law, specializing in the Internal Market and Competition within European Commercial Law. He leads the Institute for European, International and Comparative Law and serves as President of the Austrian Society for European Law (ÖGER), a member of FIDE, advocating for Austrian perspectives in EU legal developments. His research spans European Commercial Law, State Aid Law, Media Regulation , and Intellectual Property , with notable publications addressing EU legal frameworks for transport, digital markets, and gambling concessions. Recent lectures focus on state aid challenges, constitutional identity conflicts , and merger control . Jaeger supervises dissertations requiring significant scientific contribution and has organized events like the European Law Roundtable with CJEU and State Aid Law Day . He has held visiting roles at Hannover and Munich universities and previously worked at the Max Planck Institute and UNHCHR .
Niamh Moloney is a Professor of Financial Markets Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where she previously served as Head of the Law School (2018–2021). She holds affiliations with LSE’s governing body (LSE Council) and is a member of the Board of Appeal of the European Supervisory Authorities. Her expertise focuses on EU financial market regulation, with particular emphasis on consumer protection and institutional governance dynamics. Education: Trinity College Dublin (undergraduate), Harvard Law School (graduate). Her research explores EU financial regulation’s institutional, substantive, and contextual dimensions, including ESMA’s evolving role and post-Brexit regulatory challenges. She has authored/edited over ten books, including EU Securities and Financial Markets Regulation (OUP, 2023) and The Oxford Handbook of Financial Regulation (OUP, 2015), and has published over 100 articles. Awards include Fellow of the British Academy (2018), Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy (2021), and an honorary doctorate from the University of Zurich (2019). She serves on the Central Bank of Ireland board and advises the Irish Government’s Commission on Taxation and Welfare (2022 report). Her professional roles include editorial board memberships (e.g., European Law Review ), advisory roles (e.g., European Capital Markets Institute), and public service (e.g., House of Lords inquiry adviser on EU financial reform).
Caroline Heber is a Full Professor at the Institute for Financial Law, Law Faculty, University of Vienna, a position held since February 2023. She concurrently serves as Head of the Center for European Fiscal Law and Policy (since July 2023), Visiting Professor at IE University Madrid (since October 2023), and Research Affiliate at the Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance in Munich. Her research explores: European/international tax law frameworks Comparative VAT legislation and compliance Cross-border taxation barriers EU legal integration and fiscal policy Recent publications focus on European tax harmonization, VAT implementation challenges, and financial inclusion mechanisms, demonstrating consistent engagement with EU fiscal policy evolution. She leads a research team including doctoral candidates and assistants working on topics like VAT law, EU tax reforms, and cross-border taxation. Current team members: Harjivan Bhullar, Julia Huber, Chiara Schartmüller, Timur Türker, and Luka Rosenauer.
Matthias Lehmann is University Professor (Univ.-Prof.) at the University of Vienna, Faculty of Law, and Director of the Institute for European, International and Comparative Law. He teaches and researches in private international law, international business law, financial-market regulation, and the law of digital assets and blockchain technology. Education & Degrees: Dr. iur., Germany DEA, Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris II), France LL.M., Columbia Law School, USA J.S.D., Columbia Law School, USA Research Focus: Lehmann’s recent work concentrates on the intersection of private international law and financial technology. Major projects include the EU’s Markets in Crypto-assets Regulation (MiCAR), uniform prospectus-liability rules, blockchain-based arbitration, and the treatment of digital assets in insolvency proceedings. He coordinates several edited volumes and commentaries, such as the Münchener Kommentar zum BGB capital-markets volume and the Austrian standard treatise Grundriss des Bank- und Kapitalmarktrechts . Teaching & Moot Court Activities: He offers courses on U.S. law introduction, international financial law, comparative law, private international law, banking & capital-markets law, and runs the Willem C. Vis Moot as well as the PAX Moot Court on international civil procedure and private international law. Team & Supervision: Lehmann currently supervises six university assistants (prae- and post-doc) working on arbitration, banking-union completion, crypto-asset regulation, and comparative procedure. Former team members are listed as alumni without indication of emeritus status. Scientific Awards: No specific prizes or fellowships are mentioned in the supplied text. Contact & Office: Juridicum, Schottenbastei 10–16, Staircase I, 5th floor, Room 512, 1010 Vienna, Austria; phone +43 1 4277 35122; email matthias.lehmann@univie.ac.at.
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Spitzer holds the Chair of Civil Law and Civil Procedure at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU Wien), where he has been a full professor since 2011. He serves as Program Director for Business Law and Institute Director at WU. Professor Spitzer is Editor-in-Chief of the Austrian Jurists' Journal (ÖJZ) and the Austrian Legal Archives (ÖJA), and co-editor of prominent legal commentaries including the ABGB commentary ("KBB"). His academic work spans both traditional civil law topics and modern commercial legal challenges. Professor Spitzer's research interests focus on the intersection of substantive and procedural civil law, with particular emphasis on banking law, inheritance law, insolvency law, collective legal protection, credit security law, tort law, and contract law. His work often takes comparative and historical perspectives, examining how civil law principles apply in contemporary commercial contexts. He has published extensively across all fields of civil and civil procedure law, with recent work exploring digitalization of legal processes, climate change liability, and human rights violations in global supply chains. His recent scholarly output demonstrates a clear trend toward addressing contemporary legal challenges through traditional civil law frameworks. Many publications examine how digital transformation impacts civil procedure, with particular focus on video hearings and electronic evidence. Other significant themes include banking regulation in times of crisis, consumer protection in financial services, and the evolving relationship between administrative decisions and civil proceedings. His work consistently bridges theoretical legal scholarship with practical applications for legal professionals. Excellent Teaching Award (2021, 2020, 2016) Innovative Teaching Award (2017) Insolvency Law Prize (Main Prize, 2014) Cardinal Innitzer Promotion Prize (2012) Walther Kastner Main Prize (2012) Capital Markets Prize (2012) Professor Spitzer plays a significant role in legal education through his position as Program Director for Business Law at WU Vienna. He co-founded Austria's best-selling legal textbook series (PSK, Bürgerliches Recht) with Stefan Perner, now in its 7th edition. He has supervised numerous doctoral students and research assistants who contribute to the chair's publication projects. Beyond academia, he maintains strong connections with legal practitioners through continuing education events for the judiciary and legal profession, including the Vienna Civil Court Day and Austrian Lawyers' Civil Law Day. His work extends to media commentary, expert opinions for public and private clients, and projects addressing social responsibility such as pharmaceutical supply chain resilience. The chair under Professor Spitzer organizes several major scientific events including the Banking Law Forum (since 2019), Forum for Civil Law (since 2016), Private Law Course including Civil Procedure (since 2014), Insurance Law Day (since 2021), Vienna Civil Court Day (since 2019), and Vienna Civil Law Day (since 2023). These events bring together academics, practitioners, and judges to discuss current developments in civil law. The chair also houses the editorial team for the Austrian Jurists' Journal and oversees publication of standard commentaries on key Austrian legal codes.
Klaus Salhofer is a Professor at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU) , affiliated with the Institute for Sustainable Economic Development . His career spans roles as a C-4 Professor at the Technical University of Munich (2003–2015), Visiting Professor at Oregon State University (2013), and earlier positions at institutions like the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel. He holds a Dr.nat.techn. from BOKU (1996) and a Mag.rer.soc.oec. from J. Kepler University Linz (1992). Research Interests Agricultural Economics Land Use and Productivity Analysis Climate Change Resilience Policy Evaluation and Modeling Scientific Awards ARER Advisor Award (2015) AGRANA Research Award (2002) ÖGA Prize (2000) Prize Essay Competition, Agricultural Economics Society (1997) Prize of the Prof. Anton Kurir Foundation (1997) Grants include funding from the Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF) , European Union, and Austrian Ministry for Agriculture. He has led projects such as "Soil management to mitigate climate change-related precipitation extremes" and "Understanding farmers’ land use behavior under different institutional settings" .
Rainer van Husen is an Associate Professor at the University of Vienna's Faculty of Law, where he serves at the Institute for Corporate and Commercial Law. His office is located in the Juridicum building at Schottenbastei 10-16, Room R423, in Vienna. He teaches multiple courses including Group and Reorganization Law, Exercise in Corporate Law, and various seminars on Corporate and Commercial Law for both diploma and doctoral students. His current teaching schedule includes courses for Spring Semester 2025 and Winter Semester 2024. Professor van Husen's educational background includes: 1991: Graduated from the University of Vienna with a degree in law 1994: Graduated in Business Administration from WU Vienna 1994: Doctorate in Law from the University of Vienna 1997: Doctorate in Economics from WU Vienna 2007: Habilitation 2008: Appointed Associate Professor His primary research interests focus on corporate and commercial law, with particular expertise in company law, cooperative law, banking law, and trade law. Professor van Husen has made significant contributions to understanding the legal frameworks governing cooperatives, corporate reorganization, and the intersection of banking regulation with corporate structures. His scholarly work demonstrates a consistent trajectory from early studies on cooperative legal forms to more recent analyses of cooperative principles and banking regulation. His publications reveal deep engagement with Austrian commercial law while incorporating comparative perspectives on corporate governance frameworks across different legal systems. The recurring themes in his work include liability structures, capital formation mechanisms, and the adaptation of traditional legal concepts to modern business practices. Professor van Husen has received recognition for his scholarly work through the Kastner Prize of the Austrian Banks and Bankers, awarded in both 1998 and 1999 for his monographs on profit participation rights and cooperative assets. These awards highlight the practical relevance of his research to the banking and financial sectors in Austria. As an educator, Professor van Husen supervises students through various seminar formats where participants develop research papers on corporate law topics. His teaching approach emphasizes practical application through case studies and problem-oriented learning, preparing students for both academic and professional legal practice in commercial law. He maintains regular consultation hours by appointment, particularly after classes, to support his students' academic development. His course requirements typically include substantial written work (minimum 50,000 characters) that addresses current and relevant issues in corporate law, followed by oral presentations and substantive discussions.
Mag. Dr. Jakob Kepplinger serves as a University Assistant and post-doctoral researcher at the Institute of Roman Law, Faculty of Law, Johannes Kepler University Linz, working under Prof. Dr. Markus Wimmer. His role includes teaching Roman Law case studies and exegesis in both winter and summer semesters. His academic foundation includes a law degree (2006-2011) and doctorate (2011-2016) from JKU Linz, with a focus on private commercial law. Key milestones include winning the Austrian Banking Association Prize for his dissertation and achieving third place in the national Austrian Moot Court Competition (2009). Kepplinger's research centers on Roman Law applications in modern jurisprudence, particularly inheritance law, civil law commentary, and commercial law interpretation. His recent publications analyze landmark cases involving inheritance disqualification due to criminal acts, emissions scandal liability, and user fee risk allocation, demonstrating methodological rigor in statutory interpretation. His scientific recognition includes the Austrian Banking Association Prize, Peter Rummel Study Program Award, and the Journal of European Private Law Promotional Prize. Professional activities feature lectures on financial service provider liability and ECJ interpretation doctrine. As a legal practitioner, he completed bar examination with excellent success (2019) and worked as a trainee lawyer at Beurle / Oberndorfer / Mitterlehner (2016-2019), bridging academic theory with commercial law practice.
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Markus Walzl is a Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Statistics at the University of Innsbruck. He leads the Department of Economic Theory, Policy and History, focusing on applied microeconomic theory, decision science, and institutional design. His research explores credence goods markets, incentives in multi-task environments, and behavioral aspects of economic systems. Key projects include leadership of the FWF-funded SFB F63 (Credence Goods, Incentives, and Behavior) and co-founding the Prosocial initiative. His work bridges theory and practice through studies on financial advice markets, environmental policy mechanisms, and institutional evolution. Walzl's research interests emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, combining economics with theology, philosophy, and social psychology. He investigates how institutional frameworks shape market outcomes, particularly in contexts of information asymmetry, moral hazard, and reputation building. Recent work examines the role of certification vs. monitoring in environmental regulation and the dynamics of persuasion in labor markets. Research affiliations: IDS (Innsbruck Decision Science), SFB F63, Prosocial Initiative Grants: FWF Special Research Program (SFB) F63 Teaching: Microeconomic theory, market design, and policy analysis His publications span over two decades, addressing topics from auction behavior to corporate leniency programs. He maintains active participation in academic networks and serves as an institutional leader within the Faculty of Economics and Statistics.
Konrad Eichblatt is a University Assistant Prae Doc at the Institute for Austrian and European Economic Criminal Law at WU Vienna. His doctoral research focuses on Austrian contribution law's intersection between administrative and criminal law. He holds an LL.M. and B.A. in Business Law from WU Vienna, both with distinction, and a Tourism Management B.A. from Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. Research interests include criminal law applications in economic contexts, social security fraud mechanisms, and legal frameworks governing employer obligations. His work bridges theoretical legal analysis with practical judicial applications, particularly in transnational economic crimes. Publications span critical analyses of German criminal code provisions, corporate legal structures, and social security fraud prevention. His 2024-2025 articles highlight trends in penalizing financial system abuses and digital payment fraud, reflecting a focus on emerging legal challenges in modern economies. Key Awards: Petsche Pollak Award 2024, WU Rector's List 2019/2020, Multiple Merit Scholarships Professionally, he combines academic roles with legal practice: legal trainee at WolfTheiss Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG and tutoring at WU. His interdisciplinary background in tourism and law informs cross-sectoral legal analyses.
Matthias C. Kettemann is a full-time Professor of Innovation, Theory and Philosophy of Law at the University of Innsbruck , where he leads the Department of Legal Theory and Future of Law . He also serves as a research programme leader at the Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans Bredow Institute in Hamburg, research group leader at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society in Berlin, and as a research group leader at the Sustainable Computing Lab in Vienna. His academic affiliations extend to associated researcher roles at institutions in Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main, and Graz. Head of Department, University of Innsbruck Research Programme Leader, Leibniz Institute for Media Research Research Group Leader, Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society Board Member, Sustainable Computing Lab Associated Researcher, Research Institute for Social Cohesion Prof. Kettemann’s research focuses on internet law , AI governance , platform regulation , digital constitutionalism , and innovation law . His publications and projects explore normative orders , multinormativity , and cybersecurity in digital spaces. His recent articles address human-in-the-loop AI systems , consumer credit algorithms , and democratic resilience against disinformation . He also investigates legal frameworks for data sovereignty and platform accountability in crisis situations . He has received prestigious scholarships, including the Fulbright and Boas Scholarships , and contributes to academic discourse as Managing Editor of the Mohr/Siebeck series 'Internet und Gesellschaft' , editorial board member of journals like jusIT and Media and Communication Studies , and scientific advisory board member of the European Yearbook on Human Rights . He is actively involved in reviewing for international publishers and academic journals. Prof. Kettemann teaches in German, English, and French, with courses in internet law , innovation law , international law , and legal philosophy since 2008. He supervises theses at bachelor, diploma, doctoral, and post-doctoral levels, emphasizing digital law and innovation frameworks . His third-party funding includes grants from the European Union , Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung , Google , and Deutsche Telekom .
Christian M. Piska is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Constitutional and Administrative Law within the Faculty of Law at the University of Vienna. His office is located at Schottenbastei 10-16 (Juridicum), Staircase II, 6th floor, room 648. He serves as a prominent academic specializing in the legal implications of disruptive technologies and modern regulatory challenges. Professor Piska focuses on the intersection of law and rapidly evolving technologies, with particular expertise in constitutional and administrative law as applied to digital innovation. His research spans blockchain regulation, crypto law, eSports law, environmental law, and the legal frameworks surrounding artificial intelligence and other disruptive technologies. He advocates for forward-looking legal approaches that address contemporary challenges rather than relying on outdated frameworks. His recent publications and events demonstrate a strong focus on practical applications of law in the digital age, including the comprehensive 'Blockchain Rules: The Fintech Handbook' and the 'Legal Dictionary' (2nd edition, 2025). Professor Piska frequently organizes and moderates symposia on cutting-edge legal topics, with several events scheduled through 2025 including 'Sanctions in Crypto Law' and discussions on regulatory simplification. Professor Piska is also actively involved with the Research Center for eSports Law as an Associate, contributing to the development of legal frameworks in this emerging field. His work consistently addresses how traditional legal structures can adapt to the accelerated pace of technological and social change. Office: Schottenbastei 10-16 (Juridicum), Staircase II, 6th floor, room 648 Phone: +43 1 4277 35484 Consultations: Generally held by telephone Office hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00-12:00
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Chris Thomale, LL.M. (Yale) is a Professor of International Corporate and Commercial Law at the University of Vienna , affiliated with the Faculty of Law and the Institute for Corporate and Commercial Law . He leads the Center for Comparative Corporate Finance Law (C³FL) , focusing on legal foundations and economic frameworks of corporate finance. Research areas: Corporate Finance Law, Comparative Law, EU Corporate Sustainability, Legal Economics Key teaching: International Business Transactions , Corporate Finance Law , PAX Moot Court Prof. Thomale organizes conferences like “Legal Persons as Directors and Officers” (2025) and “Legal Arbitrage in Corporate Finance” (2025) , emphasizing regulatory differentials and cross-border legal harmonization. His work integrates economic analysis with doctrinal legal research.
Univ. Prof. DDr. Bernadette Kamleitner serves as Vice Rector for Research and Third Mission at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. She leads the Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research and has held faculty positions at WU since 2012, following academic appointments at the University of Vienna (Austria) and Queen Mary/Birkbeck (UK). Her research spans Consumer Psychology , Psychological Ownership , Digitalization , and Financial Decision-Making . Key Research Areas : Psychological Ownership, Digital Consumer Behavior, Privacy Economics, Mental Accounting, Sustainable Consumption Recent Projects : Examining packaging effects on ownership perception (2025), NFTs and digital ownership (2025), interdependent privacy in social networks (2024) Her 123+ publications focus on ownership theories, sensory marketing, and data privacy. Notable trends in her work include: Using scents and visual boundaries to manipulate ownership perception Exploring blockchain implications for digital art ownership (2025) Investigating cross-cultural privacy differences (2023) Scientific Recognition : Multiple Best Paper Awards (EACR, JCM) AMS Teaching Award and WU Vienna's Innovation in Education Prize She actively collaborates with institutions like QUT (Australia), Virginia Tech (USA), and Cass (UK), and chairs the ethics committee of the Austrian Advertising Council.
Tobin Hanspal is an Associate Professor of Finance at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, where he is affiliated with the Department of Finance, Accounting and Statistics and the Institute for Finance, Banking and Insurance. He also serves as a Faculty Member at the Vienna Graduate School of Finance (VGSF) and as a Research Affiliate at the Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE. Dr. Hanspal's research focuses on behavioral finance, household finance, and financial decision making. His work examines how individuals form beliefs about financial markets, make investment decisions, and respond to financial experiences. Key areas of investigation include the impact of personal experiences on risk taking, the role of financial education, investor behavior in cryptocurrency markets, and the effects of market crashes on household expectations. His research often employs field experiments and large-scale datasets to understand real-world financial behavior. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on understanding how psychological factors and personal experiences shape financial decisions. The articles span topics from cryptocurrency investments to the behavioral effects of the COVID-19 market crash, revealing patterns in how households process financial information and make portfolio decisions. His work frequently appears in top finance journals including the Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Financial Economics, and Review of Finance. Scientific Awards: SIX Best Paper Award, Annual Conference of the Swiss Society for Financial Market Research (SGF Conference), 2024 Dr. Hanspal's research has been presented at major finance conferences including the European Finance Association (EFA), Swiss Finance Institute (SGF), and American Finance Association (AFA) meetings. His work has received attention for its practical implications for financial education, investor protection, and understanding household portfolio choices. He has collaborated with prominent researchers in behavioral finance across multiple institutions.
