Teaching

21674 Data privacy law, SP 7, LL.B. ( from the 5th semester onwards)
2 credits, Tue 14:00–16:00, Room H 25
(Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling / Dr Manuel Klar)

21263b Academic Decision-Making Laboratory – European Law (from the 2nd semester onwards)
2-st., Wed 14:00 – 16:00, H 26
SP 2, SP 3 (new), SP 4, SP 7, SP 8, SP 10, SP 12 (new), SP 13
(Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling / Prof. Dr Thorsten Kingreen)

21636 Seminar on Regulatory Law of Sustainability, SP 3
(from 5th semester), 1 credit,
Dates to be announced separately
(Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling)

21206b European Law: Resit Examination for LL.B. DigLaw
Wed, 10.00–12.00, Lecture Theatre 0.05
Dates to be announced separately
(Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling)

21676 Seminar ‘Constitutional Law in Transition’, SP 3, SP 7, LL.B.
2-session block, dates to be announced separately
(Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling)

21580 Exam preparation course in public law, P (from the 6th semester onwards)
Wed 16:00–20:00, Room 18 – discussion
Sat 08:30–13:30, R 005–R009
(Prof. Dr Uerpmann-Wittzack et al.)

21522 REX Public Law / Advanced Course in Administrative Law
Block sessions: 5–6 August 2026
12–14 August 2026
19–21 August 2026
26–28 August 2026

(Dr Stefan Drechsler)

21671 Telecommunication Law, SP 7 (old and new), SP 9 (old),
SP 12 (new), LL.B. ( from the 5th semester onwards)
2 credits, Tue 14:00 – 16:00, VG 1.36
(Prof. Dr Kühling)

21263 Academic Decision-Making Laboratory in European Law ( from the 4th semester)
SP 2, 3 (new), 4, 5 (old), 7, 8, 9 (old), 10, 12 (new), 13
2 hours, Wed 14:00 – 16:00, H 26
(Prof. Dr Kühling / Prof. Dr Kingreen)

21673 Seminar on law of the information society (P),
Semester 7, LL.B. ( from the 5th semester), ( alternating with the Legal Harmonisation seminar),
1 session, Wed 2.00–4.00 pm, in Room H 26
(Prof. Dr Kühling)

21206 European Law (from the 3rd and 4th semesters)
with an integrated compulsory elective examination for the advanced seminar
3 sessions; Tue 10.00–12.00 and Wed 10.00–12.00, Room H 16
(Prof. Dr Kühling)

21206a European Law Conversation Seminar (3rd and 4th semesters)
1.25 hours, second half of the semester – dates and rooms to be announced separately
(Melissa Mahmoud)

21901 Public Digital Law, SP 7, LL.B. (from the 5th semester onwards)
2 credits; Wed 12.00 – 14.00, Room R 005
(Prof. Dr Kühling / Prof. Dr Tischbirek)

21676 Seminar on law of the information society, SP 7, LL.B.
Topic: ‘Media Regulation in Flux’
2-credit block; dates and rooms to be announced
(Prof. Dr Kühling)

21580 Public Law Exam Preparation Course, P (from the 6th semester onwards)
Wed 16:00 – 20:00, H 18 (discussion)
Sat 08:30 – 13:30, R 005 – R 009
(Prof. Dr Uerpmann-Wittzack et al.)

21522 REX Public Law / Advanced Course in Administrative Law
Block sessions to be announced in due course, Room 19
(Dr Stefan Drechsler)

A warm welcome to the homepage of Research Area 7 – law of the information society

The ‘law of the information society’ specialisation focuses on civil, constitutional and administrative law, whilst also drawing on aspects of EU law and public international law. In a modern, fast-paced society, the importance of information law cannot be overstated, which makes this specialisation particularly future-proof. Its high practical relevance is evident in the fact that many law firms have dedicated practice groups specialising in information law. Following legal training, there is the opportunity to specialise as a certified specialist in IT law. Furthermore, this valuable compulsory specialisation also offers the opportunity to work in other areas of law and to stand out with specialist knowledge. As part of the specialisation, there is also the opportunity to take part in practical workshops to gain initial hands-on experience. The specialisation is complemented by exciting field trips that enhance students’ understanding of legal practice. In the past, students on the specialisation have visited renowned institutions and companies such as the European Commission, Pro Sieben Sat1, O2, Google and the Süddeutsche Zeitung. This has enabled them to gain practical insights into various fields of work.

Courses

1. Lecture and seminar on media law (2 SWS)

Prof. Dr Anna K. Bernzen and Prof. Dr Alexander Tischbirek, usually in the summer semester

Dates for the summer semester 2025

24 April 2025 – 24 July 2025, every Thursday from 12:00–14:00 c.t.

(No sessions on: 1 May 2025, 29 May 2025, 19 June 2025)

Content

Broadcasting and the press are of crucial importance to the functioning of a liberal democracy. However, users of (social) media themselves, platform operators and other telemedia providers are also playing an increasingly significant role in the process of shaping public opinion. The ‘Media Law’ lecture will first outline the constitutional and human rights framework within which all these actors operate. It will then examine two examples of ordinary legislation – the State Treaty on Media and the State Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media – which regulate their work. Lectures (Prof. Dr Anna Bernzen) and seminar sessions (Prof. Dr Alexander Tischbirek) will alternate on a weekly basis: following each lecture session, the knowledge gained will be applied and consolidated during the accompanying seminar session.

A schedule for the lectures and discussion sessions will be available on GRIPS in April. The materials for the lectures and discussion sessions will be made available on GRIPS in the run-up to each session.

Further links

GRIPS (external link, opens in a new window)

Spur (external link, opens in a new window)

2. Telecommunication law

Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling, LLM, usually in the winter semester

Dates for the winter semester 2025/2026

to follow

Content

Telecommunication law is a modern, multifaceted and interdisciplinary field of law with technical and economic dimensions. It can primarily be classified under specialised (economic) administrative law. At the same time, telecommunications regulation forms the basis of the entire information economy, which explains its dual placement within both Specialisation Area 7 ‘law of the information society’ and the former Specialisation Area 9 ‘commercial and business law’, as well as the new Specialisation Area 12 ‘public law’. The (new) legal issues that regularly arise as a result of the constant technical development of telecommunications and the significant reshaping of telecommunications regulation under EU law, most recently through the GIA (Gigabit Infrastructure Act) – or, in German, the Gigabit Infrastructure Ordinance – make this area of law particularly interesting for law students and those studying for the LL.B. in Digital Law. Against this background, following a brief explanation of the technical and economic background essential to understanding telecommunication law, as well as its links to EU law and constitutional law, the lecture provides an overview of the systematic structure and main features of the Telecommunications Act (TKG). In doing so, it also addresses current debates (e.g. ‘legally guaranteed right to high-speed internet’, ‘amendment of the TKG’, ‘frequency allocation’, etc.) and situates them within the legal framework. With regard to aspects of economic administrative law, the lecture explores general issues of public law, such as constitutional rights or the performance and allocation of tasks within a federal state and within the European Union, but also administrative law issues such as the scope of the Administration’s discretion and margin of appreciation. A compilation of the relevant statutory texts, a timetable and an outline of the lecture content will be made available on the University of Regensburg’s e-learning platform (‘G.R.I.P.S.’) before the start of the course. The supporting materials for the lectures (e.g. PowerPoint slides) will also be available there before the start of each lecture session. The lecture will be held as a face-to-face session.

Further links

3. Intellectual Property Law (2 SWS)

Prof. Dr Anna K. Bernzen, Frequency: irregular

Dates

to follow

Content

Intellectual property law deals with the protection of a wide variety of intellectual creations: patent law, for example, protects inventions in all fields of technology, whilst copyright law protects works of literature, science and art. The lecture ‘Intellectual Property’ provides an overview of the various types of intellectual property rights. It begins by covering the fundamentals of the protection of intangible assets in general. It then examines the scope and conditions for the creation of specific intellectual property rights, as well as the options available to rights holders for exploiting and protecting their rights. The course covers technical property rights (patents, utility models, plant variety rights and semiconductor topography), rights relating to signs (trade marks and geographical indications of origin), and aesthetic property rights (copyright, neighbouring rights and design rights).

A lecture timetable will be available on GRIPS in April. Lecture materials can be accessed on GRIPS in the run-up to each session.

Further links

4. Data privacy law (2 SWS)

Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling, LL.M., and Dr Manuel Klar; Frequency: usually in the summer semester

Dates

29 April 2025 – 22 July 2025, every Tuesday from 16:00 – 18:00 (on the dot), 27 June 2025, 10 July 2025

Content

As our society becomes increasingly interconnected through technology, the social significance and economic value of data are also rising significantly. At the same time, effective rules for the protection of personal data – and thus, ultimately, for the protection of privacy – are becoming ever more important. The application of the law faces the challenge that data privacy requirements must keep pace with technological developments and are subject to increasing Europeanisation. Furthermore, there is a bewildering array of sector-specific regulations. Against this backdrop, the lecture will focus primarily on presenting the systematic structure of data privacy law.
One of the key topics of the lecture will be the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which has been in force throughout the EU since the end of May 2018. However, this Regulation – which was actually intended to harmonise data privacy law across the Union – leaves certain issues open, which each Member State can or must regulate itself. For this reason, the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), which fills these gaps, as well as other sector-specific regulations, will also be covered in the course. Even several years after the major reform of 2018, the situation in data privacy law remains particularly intriguing, as legislation that was previously largely shaped by national law has now largely been superseded by EU law, yet there is still insufficient legal certainty for data controllers on many specific issues.
The starting point, however, will initially be a comprehensive overview of the constitutional rights set out in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the German Basic Law. The main focus will then be on outlining the fundamental principles and data protection provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Current debates will be addressed, such as the personal nature of IP addresses, big data, the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, the ‘right to be forgotten’ on the internet, and the right to data portability vis-à-vis social media operators such as Facebook. The specific features of healthcare data protection law and case studies will round off the event.

Further links

5. Conversation-based seminar on the law of the information society (1 SWS)

Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling, LL.M., Frequency: irregular

Dates

to follow

Content

This seminar will discuss current developments in public information law (in particular media, telecommunications and/or data privacy law). Depending on current developments, a recent court ruling may be selected for a joint analysis of the judgement, in order to practise applying the relevant legal principles. The course may also include lectures by external guest lecturers on current issues. The main focus of the seminar is traditionally a field trip to a company that, in practice, deals with fascinating issues relating to the right to information. Further details regarding the field trip, including specific dates and venues, will be provided in due course.

Further links

6. Academic Decision-Making Laboratory – Constitutional Law (2 SWS)

Prof. Dr Thorsten Kingreen and Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling, LL.M., usually in the summer semester

Dates

23 April 2025 – 23 July 2025, every Wednesday from 14:00 to 16:00

Content

This course is aimed at all students who have attended the two lectures on public law and are interested in an in-depth discussion of current constitutional law decisions and contentious issues. It forms part of the specialisation programme in specialisation areas 2, 3 (new), 4, 7, 8, 10, 12 (new) and 13.

We depart from the lecture-based teaching method customary in Germany and structure the session in line with teaching practices in the Anglo-American world, based on discussion with you (‘Socratic method’). This allows us, above all, to address your specific needs and the difficulties you encounter when dealing with legal affairs.

We will announce the case law to be discussed in advance so that everyone can work through it (‘reading assignment’) and discuss it before the session begins. This is also intended to practise the approach required for preparatory seminar papers. The marking of seminar papers and term papers shows that independently identifying recent developments in case law – for example, through current judgements – and subsequently contextualising them within existing frameworks repeatedly poses problems. Furthermore, students often lack the courage to engage in critical evaluation. This course aims to deliberately break away from the often predominant approach to legal problems via secondary literature (‘reading commentaries’ rather than ‘reading judgements’) and to encourage critical discourse, which is often neglected in ‘traditional’ lectures. As Kant put it: ‘Have the courage to use your own understanding!’
We will introduce the course at the outset and then take turns discussing relevant case law with you. The material will be made available prior to each lecture session.

Further links

Grips (external link, opens in a new window):

Spur (external link, opens in a new window):

7th Academic Decision-Making Laboratory – European Law (2 SWS)

Prof. Dr Thorsten Kingreen and Prof. Dr Jürgen Kühling, LL.M., usually in the winter semester

Dates

to follow

Content

This course forms part of the specialisation programme and is a compulsory lecture for students in specialisation areas 2, 3 (new), 4, 7, 8, 10, 12 (new) and 13. The course builds on the lecture on european law and links and expands upon its content with further material from the compulsory syllabus.

In doing so, it pursues a central substantive and an important methodological objective. In terms of content, we aim to highlight the Europeanisation of national law, whilst also examining differences within the multi-level system. Each lecture session will be based on a case study that particularly clearly illustrates the interconnection between national and European law (including the European Convention on Human Rights). This is particularly evident in the case of the ‘right to be forgotten’. For instance, the rulings on the so-called ‘right to be forgotten’ by the Federal Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice demonstrate how national and European constitutional rights influence one another. Fundamental freedoms also remain relevant as a classic ‘driving force’ behind so-called negative harmonisation in areas of regulation that are, in principle, reserved for the Member States.

The aim of all the modules is not to impart specific knowledge of the respective subject areas. Rather, the focus is on highlighting the methods of legal harmonisation relevant to the law. The concept of harmonisation is to be understood in a broad sense and encompasses the activities of the legislature (for example, in the form of a ‘directive’) as well as the important role of case law – specifically that of both the European Court of Justice and national courts – and, finally, the executive. The focus is on fundamental harmonisation mechanisms, including a reflection on the various methodological implications (such as interpretation in accordance with European law).

The course is called the ‘Decision-Making Lab’ because we analyse (recent) court decisions. The Decision-Making Lab is intended to be ‘academic’ because it is designed to prepare students for academic work in seminars and term papers.

From a methodological perspective, we wish to depart from the lecture-based approach customary in Germany and, following the teaching practices in the Anglo-American world, structure the course as much as possible around discussion with you (and, in particular, your preferences and difficulties in dealing with legal affairs) (“Socratic method”): We will announce the judgements to be discussed in advance so that they can be studied by everyone (“reading assignment”) and discussed before the session begins. At the same time, we will provide examples of how a relevant topic might be addressed in a seminar paper or independent study project. The marking of seminar papers and term papers shows that students repeatedly encounter difficulties in independently identifying recent developments in case law – for example, through current judgements – and in subsequently contextualising them. Furthermore, students often lack the courage to engage in critical evaluation. This course aims to deliberately break away from the often predominant approach to legal problems via secondary literature (‘reading commentaries’ rather than ‘reading judgements’) and to encourage critical discourse, which is frequently neglected in the ‘traditional’ lecture. As Kant put it: ‘Have the courage to use your own understanding!’

This course is only suitable for students who have already attended the lecture on european law. Prior attendance at the lectures on administrative law is helpful but not essential.
We look forward to discussing this with you!

Further links

8. Seminars (2 SWS each)

Summer semester 2025

“Constitutional Jurisdiction Today”

Prof. Dr Alexander Tischbirek

Whilst the Federal Constitutional Court traditionally enjoys the highest level of public approval of all state institutions, constitutional jurisdiction is under considerable pressure in the mid-2020s. This concerns, on the one hand, the relationship between the various constitutional courts: The sometimes complex interplay between the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) (if one wishes to regard these as ‘European constitutional courts’) and the Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) is the subject of much debate. However, the state constitutional courts are also emerging as increasingly self-assured actors alongside the BVerfG, particularly in constitutional law. Furthermore, the role of constitutional jurisdiction within the political system is once again under discussion, with questions arising as to where the courts should be shielded from new parliamentary majorities and concerns regarding their ability to function effectively. The digitalisation of law and society presents new (constitutional) legal challenges; at the same time, it calls for internal reform within the constitutional courts themselves. Finally, from a historical perspective, one might ask what changed circumstances the constitutional courts face today compared with the years of their foundation and early heyday. These and other topics form the focus of the seminar.

Dates

9 May 2025, from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm sharp

10 May 2025, from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm sharp

Further links

Grips (external link, opens in a new window):

Track (external link, opens in a new window):

Seminar by Prof. Uerpmann on SP 4, 7, 8

Prof. Dr Robert Uerpmann-Wittzack

Principles shape the law. In constitutional law, you will study the principles of state structure set out in Article 20 of the Basic Law, such as democracy and the rule of law. The principle of the rule of law enshrines such diverse subordinate principles as the separation of powers and the protection of legitimate expectations. International and European law recognise general principles of law as a source of law. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has specifically utilised this source of law to identify fundamental rights of the European Union by means of ‘evaluative comparative law’. Article 38(1)(c) of the Statute of the International Court of Justice lists ‘the general principles of law recognised by civilised nations’ – in a formulation dating back to 1920 – as sources of public international law. Originally, the intention was to use this to fill gaps in public international law through comparative law. In the meantime, general principles of law that are genuinely part of public international law are also being discussed. In 2023, the International Law Commission adopted its draft articles on general principles of law at first reading and forwarded them to States for comment (UN Doc. A/78/10, paras. 36–41).
In his *Theory of Constitutional Rights* (1st ed. 1986/9th ed. 2020), Robert Alexy put forward a theory of principles. He conceives of constitutional rights as optimisation imperatives. This allows for the explanation of balancing exercises. Thus, in public international law, one might attempt to understand sovereign equality, the prohibition of the use of force and human rights as principles and weigh them against one another in order to justify humanitarian intervention. In the law of the information society, for example, protection against intrusive media coverage involves a classic conflict of principles. In migration law, one might consider conflicts between state sovereignty and border control on the one hand, and the human rights of migrants on the other.

Beyond their function as sources of law, principles serve to systematise the law. Thus, English-language textbooks bear titles such as ‘Principles of International Environmental Law’. Principles transform the law into a legal system.

The seminar will focus on individual principles and the resolution of contradictions between them. It will also examine the function of principles as sources of law and guiding ideas.

Term papers will address questions of principle relating to the respective area of specialisation. In the preparatory seminar, as well as in BA and MA programmes, I will suggest topics that are appropriate to the respective degree program, specialisation or module, as applicable, and to your stage of study.

All term papers must be written in German. Other seminar papers may, in exceptional cases and by arrangement, be written in English upon request.

For the specialist area of study in law, registration takes place exclusively via Flexnow!

Dates

29 April 2025 – 22 July 2025, every Tuesday from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm sharp

Further links

Track (external link, opens in a new window):

Exams

1. Seminar paper in the preparatory seminar

In the preparatory seminar, you will practise writing a seminar paper under the close guidance of a member of the teaching staff. We are happy to take your wishes and preferences into account as far as possible when selecting a topic, so that you can set even more specific thematic ‘focus areas’ within Semester 7. If you wish to write your term paper in Semester 7, we recommend that you also enrol in the preparatory seminar in Semester 7.

2. Seminar paper

Once you have completed your preparatory seminar, you will write your seminar paper in a further seminar. Unlike in the preparatory seminar, we cannot assign you a topic personally here. Instead, the Examinations Office will allocate your topic at random from among the various topics we have submitted in advance. However, by choosing your specialisation seminar and member of the teaching staff, you can still exert a certain degree of influence over the thematic area to which your term paper will belong.

3. Oral examination

The oral examination covers the content of the various specialisation lectures. The focus is primarily on testing your understanding of the fundamentals of the various subjects. If you have attended the lectures and participated actively, you will be very well prepared for the oral examination.

Please click here (external link, opens in a new window) for information on Specialisation 12 – Public Commercial and Business Law

The Chair holder generally – and in particular during the winter semester, subject to sabbaticals for research etc. – sets topics for bachelor's theses in accordance with Section 21 of the PSO LL.B. Digital Law, and, where they have set the topic, assesses the written theses in the initial assessment.

Procedure

If you wish to write your bachelor's thesis at the end of a semester, you must register via FlexNow by 31 May or 30 November respectively. This is the only way to meet the registration deadline.

The marking period lasts up to two months. If you wish to have your thesis marked particularly early, you should therefore choose the first submission deadline.

The chair is informed by the Examinations Office of the number of registrations received and proposes a corresponding number of topics (see Section 21(2), sentence 1 of the PSO). The topics are allocated by the chair of the examination board and issued by the Examinations Office. Consequently, requests for specific topics cannot be accommodated.

To meet the deadline, the bachelor's thesis must be submitted to the Examination Office in accordance with Section 21(3), sentence 8 of the PSO in the form of two bound printed copies and an additional electronic version (PDF file). Submission to the department does not count as meeting the deadline.

Topics relating solely to the LL.B. lecture

Registration for the bachelor's thesis is currently independent of the seminars offered by the department. Topics are assigned that relate to the lectures offered by the chair in the LL.B. Digital Law programme, i.e. on data privacy law, telecommunication law and the content of the Public Digital Law lecture.

Further information can be found on the Examination Office’s website, in particular at

https://www.uni-regensburg.de/assets/studium/pruefungsverwaltung/ (external link, opens in a new window)

law/Bachelor’s_theses_LLB_Guidelines_20240528.pdf (external link, opens in a new window)