Prof. Dr. Bettina Stepanek-Bühringer (College of Europe)
Professorship of Public Law
Prof. Dr. Stepanek has held the Professorship of Public Law since October 2024. Prior to this, she served as a substitute professor at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and the University of Heidelberg, and worked as an academic assistant to Prof. Dr. Peter M. Huber, as well as practising as a solicitor at a major international law firm for several years. Prof. Dr. Stepanek obtained her doctorate from the University of Würzburg with a thesis on the constitutional duties of local authorities. At the College of Europe in Bruges, she completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in European Law, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Her postdoctoral research project focuses on the legal protection system of the European Administrative Network.
During her studies at the University of Würzburg, Prof. Stepanek was a scholarship holder of the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes) and remains active on various selection committees for the foundation to this day. She sits on the advisory board of the Juristische Schulung (JuS) and served as editor-in-chief of the Archiv des Öffentlichen Rechts from 2022 to 2024.
Fields of research:
- German and European Administrative Law
- Legal protection within the European multi-level system
- Economic regulation
- Legal issues regarding sustainability
- Protection of fundamental rights
Publications
Curriculum Vitae
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2004–2009 – Studies in Law with a minor in European Law (European lawyer) at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, funded by the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes)
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2010 – First State Examination in Law
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2010–2012 – Research assistant at the Chair of Public Law, in particular Administrative Law (Prof. Dr Joachim Suerbaum) at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg
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2012 – Research assistant at the commercial law firm Hengeler Mueller in Brussels in the field of competition and state aid law
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2012/2013 – Bilingual Master’s programme in European Law (LL.M.) at the College of Europe in Bruges as a scholarship holder of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
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2013–2015 – Legal traineeship with the Free State of Bavaria, including placements at the Court of Justice of the European Union (in the office of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Juliane Kokott, LL.M., S.J.D.) and at the international commercial law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Munich and New York
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2013 – Awarded a Dr. jur. degree (‘summa cum laude’) by the Faculty of Law at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg with a dissertation on the topic ‘Constitutionally Mandated Duties of Local Authorities’, supervised by Prof. Dr. Joachim Suerbaum
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2015 – Second State Examination in Law
- 2016–2019 – Lawyer specialising in corporate law/M&A and financial regulatory law (particularly insurance regulatory law) at the international commercial law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Munich
- 2019–2024 – Academic assistant at the Chair of Public Law and Political Philosophy (Prof. Dr Peter M. Huber, former Judge of the Federal Constitutional Court, former Minister) at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (on leave of absence from October 2023 to serve as a substitute professor)
- 2021/2022 – Winter semester: Junior Researcher in Residence at the Centre for Advanced Studies at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (CASLMU)
- 2022 – Accepted as a postdoctoral researcher by the Faculty of Law at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (postdoctoral research project: ‘Legal protection system of the administrative association?’)
- 2023/2024 – Winter semester: Substitute for the Chair of Constitutional and Administrative Law (Prof. Dr Ann-Katrin Kaufhold) at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
- 2024 – Summer semester: Substitute for the Chair of German and European Administrative Law (Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Wolfgang Kahl) at the University of Heidelberg
- Since October 2024 – Holder of the Professorship of Public Law at the University of Bonn
Other professional activities and memberships:
- Editor of the Archiv des öffentlichen Rechts (from issue 1/2022, since July 2022)
- Member of the Advisory Board of the Juristische Schulung (since January 2023)
- Member of the Selection Committee of the German National Academic Foundation
Contact
Consultation hours: by appointment via the secretary’s office
mail: professur.stepanek@jura.uni-bonn.de