Lehrstuhl Müller-Chen

Prof. Dr. Müller-Chen is professor for private law, (international) private and commercial law as well as comparative law at the University of St.Gallen. Besides that, he teaches in various executive education seminars.

The academic career of Professor Müller-Chen has always been influenced by international themes. He was a visiting scholar at Boalt Hall School of Law (UC Berkeley) and a visiting professor at Santa Clara University in California. Since 2010 he has been Delegate for Internationalization of the Law School.

Since 2009, Prof. Müller-Chen has been an independent lawyer in the areas of art law, contract law and arbitration. Prior to 2009 he worked in a law firm.

Professor Müller-Chen conducts research in the fields of comparative law, international commercial law, tort law, contract law and art law. In 2000 he received the city of Basel`s Science Award. 

Code of Obligations: Discussion of general contract law in the general part of the Code of Obligations including its influences on the special part of the Code of Obligations as well as discussion of the specific types of contracts in the special part of the Code of Obligations. Application of this theoretical knowledge in various case studies. 

International private law: Introduction to the general part (method) and the special part (connection to different parts of private law) of international private law. Raising awareness for the specific issues and needs in international legal relations as well as linking international private law with international civil procedure law.

Exercises in private law: Solving cases from different areas of the Code of Obligations (without corporate law), personal law, family law (including adult protection law), inheritance law and property law. The students should improve their methodological competences, their networked thinking and the practical use of their knowledge of private law. Prof. Müller-Chen teaches in the area of the Code of Obligations, Prof. Hrubesch-Millauer in the area of the Civil Code.

Swiss Moot Court: Participation of students in the Swiss Moot Court (competition by universities from all over Switzerland) by solving a legal case on the basis of Swiss law (writing submissions) as well as pleading the case in front of fictitious courts.

Internships at the cantonal court of St. Gallen
During four weeks students get the possibility to have a closer look behind the curten of the cantonal court of St. Gallen. The internship takes place from mid-August until mid-September. The students are guided by a judge. Two until four places are available.

Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot: Participation of the students in the Willem C. Vis Commercial Arbitration Moot (worldwide competition with participation of more than 200 teams). Solving a case in the field of international arbitration and the Vienna Sales Convention (CISG) by writing memoranda and pleading the case in front of fictitious courts. 

Great Legal Traditions and Cultures of the World: Introduction and conveyance of knowledge about foreign judicial system (e.g. civil law, common law, religious law). In cooperation with the IDSC (Institut Suisse de droit comparé) in Lausanne the students are taught the methodic approach to write a term paper about a subject in comparative law.

Great Legal Traditions and Cultures of the World: EEinführung und Vermittlung von Wissen über ausländische Rechtssysteme (insbesondere civil law, common law, religiöse Rechte). Ein Schwergewicht liegt auf der Vermittlung der methodischen Vorgehensweise für rechtsvergleichende Dissertationen.