Key research themes
1. How do lawyers' ethical duties extend beyond formal legality to support the substantive rule of law?
This theme investigates the professional obligations of lawyers in upholding not just the letter but the substantive value of the rule of law. Research emphasizes that mere compliance with legal norms is insufficient to sustain a society governed by genuine legal principles. Instead, lawyers have responsibilities to constrain arbitrary power and promote justice, revealing tensions between formal legality and deeper legal values.
2. What are the challenges and normative implications of integrating fundamental and human rights norms into private law?
This research theme examines the complex intersection between fundamental/human rights—originally conceived as state-citizen protections—and their application within the sphere of private law relationships, such as contract, tort, and property law. It explores the normative tensions, legal coherence challenges, and prospects for constitutionalizing private law while preserving its autonomy and doctrinal clarity.
3. How has specialization shaped the professional identity and practice of lawyers within private law?
This theme explores the historical and sociological transformation of the legal profession with a focus on legal specialization. It investigates how developments in professional norms, institutional endorsements, and societal expectations have redefined lawyers' knowledge domains and autonomy, influencing their roles, duties, and claims to status within private law practice.