Two events recently took place in the framework of a cooperation between Max Planck Law and the German Law Journal (GLJ): the Transnational Junior Faculty Forum and the German Law Journal’s 25th anniversary celebration. Founded in 2000, the German Law Journal is a peer-reviewed, open-access platform that emerged from a desire to promote transnational legal reflection and to address the increasing interaction between legal systems, which had yet to be fully captured in legal scholarship. Today, the GLJ is published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) and is recognized for its contributions to European, international, and comparative law, and its focus on timely, interdisciplinary publication.
The cooperation between Max Planck Law and the GLJ was expressed through two key events hosted at Harnack House in Berlin. The first, held 18–19 September 2024, was the Transnational Junior Faculty Forum. This forum brought together ten early-career scholars selected from over 120 applicants. Their research engaged with the theme of ‘Legal Concepts in Transition’, reflecting on how foundational legal ideas are evolving in the context of transnational challenges. The forum provided a space for these scholars to present their work, receive feedback from more established academics, and engage in a broader discourse on pressing legal issues.
The second event, held 20 September 2024, celebrated the German Law Journal’s 25th anniversary. This milestone was marked by keynote speeches from Marco Buschmann, Federal Minister of Justice of Germany, and Dr Adam Bodnar, Minister of Justice of Poland. Buschmann’s address focused on the importance of comparative legal research and the role of transatlantic exchanges in fostering legal innovation. Bodnar delivered a more academic lecture, discussing the development of the rule of law in Europe and reflecting on his experience in working to restore the rule of law institutions in Poland.
In addition to the keynote speeches, the anniversary event featured a panel discussion with, amonst others, the founders of the German Law Journal, Professors Russell Miller and Peer Zumbansen, who reflected on the journal’s origins and evolution. They recounted the innovative spirit that allowed the GLJ to quickly respond to global events and emerging legal issues, attracting a wide range of contributors from across the academic and legal world. Another panel discussed the current operations of the GLJ as well as the cooperation between the GLJ and Cambridge University Press, while the final panel featured prominent female scholars discussing the future of legal scholarship amid global challenges. The discussion emphasized the need for legal researchers to engage with public opinion and the broader societal implications of legal work.
Reflecting on both events, Dr Niels Petersson—Max Planck Law’s Research Coordinator—who was closely involved in the cooperation, highlighted their broader significance: ‘What stands out is the importance of collaboration, interdisciplinary openness, and engaging with each other in a constructive spirit. This is what Max Planck Law is all about’.