Governance Structure

The MIPLC operates under a compact governance structure comprising three boards to ensure proper management, scientific advice, and feedback from the international scientific and practice community. These boards are, respectively, the Project Board, the Scientific Advisory Board, and the Board of Trustees.

The Project Board is the governing body of the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center. It formulates general policy for and manages the affairs of the MIPLC. The Project Board is composed of four members, representing the four institutions operating the MIPLC: The Max Planck Society, the University of Augsburg, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and The George Washington University.

The Project Board meets on a monthly basis. It is composed of:

The MIPLC Scientific Advisory Board advises the Project Board on the scientific research program, and especially on the development of the LL.M. program, as well as on financial issues. It is composed of one representative each of the Max Planck Society, the University of Augsburg, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and The George Washington University as well as of five external members who demonstrate recognized expertise in the research areas of the MIPLC.

The current partner representatives on the Board are:

• Professor Martin J. Adelman, The George Washington University Law School;
• Professor Reto M. Hilty, Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition;
• Professor Thomas M.J. Möllers, University of Augsburg; and
• Professor Philipp Maume, Technical University of Munich.

The external members of the Board are:

• Professor Valeria Falce, European University of Rome, Italy;
• Professor Niva Elkin-Koren, University of Haifa, Israel;
• Professor Manuel Desantes, University of Alicante, Spain;
• Professor Timo Minssen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; and
• Professor Anna Tischner, Jagiellonian University, Poland.

The Scientific Advisory Board, chaired by Professor Manuel Desantes, gathers every year in the fall for an in-person meeting in Munich.

The aim of the Board of Trustees (Kuratorium) is to promote the relationship between the Center and the general public interested in education and research in Intellectual Property and adjacent areas. The Board of Trustees is composed of representatives from politics, business, sciences, media, and other circles who have special ties to the research concerns of the MIPLC or who can substantially contribute to its support. The members are appointed by the Max Planck Society in consultation with the MIPLC Project Board.

The President of the Max Planck Society appointed the following members for the six-year term including 2021:

• Mr. Stephan Freischem, Dipl.-Ing., Patent Attorney, Secretary General of GRUR, Cologne;
• Mr. Hidehiko Kaneko, Consul, Japanese Consulate-General, Munich;
• Mr. Johannes Heselberger, Attorney-at-Law, European Patent Attorney, Bardehle Pagenberg Partnership mbB Patent Attorneys Attorneys-at-Law, Munich;
• Dr. Tobias Holzmüller, General Counsel, GEMA, Munich;
• Dr. Bertram Huber, Attorney-at-Law, Principal IP*SEVA - Intellectual Property for Sustainable Energy Ventures, Backnang;
• Dr. Hans-Rainer Jaenichen, Patent Attorney, Vossius & Partner Patent Attorney Attorneys-at-Law mbB, Munich;
• Dr. Kristina Janušauskaite, European Regional Counsel, IFPI European Regional Office, Bruxelles;
• Dr. Ralph Nack, Attorney-at-Law, Noerr LLP, Munich;
• Dr. Jochen Volkmer, Head of Trademarks, BMW AG, Munich;
• Wolrad Prinz zu Waldeck und Pyrmont, LL.M., Attorney-at-Law, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Düsseldorf;
• Dr. Anna Wolters-Höhne, Attorney-at-Law, Bird & Bird LLP, Düsseldorf.

The Board of Trustees, chaired by Dr. Jochen Volkmer, gathers every two years for an in-person meeting in Munich.