Prof. Dr. Michael Beurskens

Prof. Dr. Michael Beurskens, LL.M. (Chicago) holds the Chair of Private Law, in particular Commercial Law and Digitalisation at the Faculty of Law of the University of Passau. As a qualified lawyer and computer scientist, he is one of the most prominent legal scholars in German-speaking countries at the interface of civil and commercial law, software development, Artificial Intelligence and Legal Tech. His interdisciplinary work combines foundational legal doctrine with technical expertise and a direct orientation towards practice and the academic system.

Academic Career & Dual Qualification

Michael Beurskens’ academic career is characterised by an early and consistent interlinking of legal and computer sciences. Alongside his studies in law at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (1995–2000), he completed a degree in computer science with a minor in business administration at the FernUniversität in Hagen (1995–2001).

In the following years, he deliberately deepened this dual qualification at an international and specialised level: after a master’s programme in industrial property protection with a focus on trade mark and patent law at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (2003–2004), he obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree as part of a graduate programme at the renowned University of Chicago Law School (2004–2005).

In April 2007, he earned his doctorate at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf under Prof. Dr. Ulrich Noack with a thesis on “Liability for Disappointed Shareholder Trust” (“Haftung für enttäuschtes Aktionärsvertrauen”). After working as a research assistant and temporary academic council member, he completed his habilitation there in 2013 with a pioneering work on “Private Law Self-Help – Rights, Duties and Responsibility in Digital Access Restriction and Self-Enforcement Powers” (“Privatrechtliche Selbsthilfe – Rechte, Pflichten und Verantwortlichkeit bei digitalen Zugangsbeschränkungs- und Selbstdurchsetzungsbefugnissen”). Following a stand-in professorship in Düsseldorf, he accepted an appointment to a professorship for Civil Law at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn in 2015. In April 2018, he finally took up his chair at the University of Passau, where he also serves as Dean of Studies for the faculty.

Research Focus & Academic Priorities

Prof. Beurskens’ research agenda addresses the legal questions raised by modern digital ecosystems, data-driven business models and automated decision-making systems. His primary areas of work include:

Law of Artificial Intelligence & Software Compliance: Systematic analysis of the European AI Act (including commentary on the provisions on GPAI models and the Scientific Panel), product liability and civil liability for algorithmic systems.

Legal Tech, Data Law & Research Data: Legal issues relating to database research and database producer rights, ownership and access regimes for data, digital enforcement mechanisms, and the contractual design of licensing and technology transfer agreements.

Civil Law, Corporate & Competition Law: Unfair competition and antitrust law (author of the standard textbook on competition law), partnership and corporate law, and the digitalisation of corporate law procedures.

Digitalisation of Teaching & Examinations: Conception, legal safeguarding and technical implementation of accessible, browser-based e-examination systems as well as digitally supported higher education didactics.

In addition to numerous articles and monographs, he regularly publishes in renowned major commentaries and handbooks and actively conducts research at interdisciplinary institutes of the University of Passau, including the Institute for the Law of the Digital Society (IRDG) and the Passau Institute of Digital Security (PIDS).

Engagement in the Academic System & Knowledge Transfer

Beyond research and university teaching, Michael Beurskens is heavily engaged in shaping the digital transformation from a science and legal policy perspective. Among other roles, he serves as co-spokesperson of the interest group “Regulatory Framework and Legislation” within the priority initiative “Digitality in Science” and as co-spokesperson of the taskforce “AI Clauses in Publishing Contracts” of the Alliance of German Science Organisations. He also contributes his expertise to DFG committees on data tracking in major licensing agreements (DEAL) and to nationwide taskforces working on the establishment of electronic examination formats in legal education.

He has received several awards for his innovative teaching and digitalisation concepts, including the Hein@ward of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (2010) and the University of Passau’s Award for Outstanding Engagement (2026).