Subject Groups and Chairs

The professorial staff of the Faculty of Law is divided into five subject groups. These coordinate the tasks they are assigned in teaching and studies, research, academic career development, and continuing education, if the chairs are not responsible for these as part of their academic autonomy.

Each subject group has a chairperson who is elected by the subject group for xy years.

The Basic Subjects subject group combines historical, legal philosophy, legal theory, and legal sociology questions in research and teaching to give students a perspective of these issues. It investigates and teaches the interaction of law and its social, economic, political, and cultural context. It therefore also promotes dialogue between the different dogmatic subject-related discussions from the perspective of the basic principles that are common to all disciplines. Various members of the subject group also represent the subjects civil law, public law, media law as well as church and state-church law in research and teaching.

This subject group comprehensively covers the entire range of civil law and civil procedure law in research and teaching.

The subject group covers trade and business law in its entirety, particularly trade and company law, financial market law, competition and antitrust law, the law of intellectual property, internet and information law, and international business law. Members of the subject group pursue their research on an interdisciplinary basis both in Switzerland and abroad. The international focus of this subject group is apparent from the collaboration with foreign institutions, the results of its research published in leading national and international specialist journals, and presentations at international conferences.

Members of this subject group carry out extensive research into the current key issues in criminal law. Particular consideration is given to the international environment. In teaching, traditional courses are supplemented by modern communication technologies. eLearning and Internet revision courses contribute to efficient study.

This subject group covers constitutional and administrative law, including tax law and public procedural law, as well as public international law and European law, with a wide range of specializations. Accordingly, members of the subject group carry out research and teach – often in collaboration with institutions abroad – on topics such as the constitutional state, democracy, human rights, social security, comparative constitutional studies, public business law, environmental law, or european institutions. As part of the faculty’s basic subjects, the subject group offers modules in the theory of legislation, constitutional history, constitutional theory, and political philosophy.