Full professor of public law with a special focus on administrative law and procedural law
Benjamin Schindler was born in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1971. Studied law at the Universities of Zurich (lic. iur. 1996) and Oxford (MJur 2005). Zurich bar exam (1998). Assistant to Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Georg Müller at the University of Zurich (1998 to 2001). PhD from the University of Zurich (2002). Assistant Director and Data Protection Advisor at the Federal Office of Justice, Bern (2001–2004). Research fellowships at St. John's College, Oxford, and at the Institute for German and European Constitutional Law at the University of Heidelberg (2005–2007). Swiss National Science Foundation professorship at the University of Bern on the history of dogma in Swiss administrative law (2008–2012). Habilitation in public law at the University of Zurich (2010). Chair of Public Law at the University of St. Gallen (since 2010). Head of the Faculty of Law (2019–2021). President of the Appeal Committee of the University of St. Gallen (2011–2019 and since 2022). 2012-2023 part-time substitute judge and since 2024 judge at the Staatsgerichtshof des Fürstentums Liechtenstein. Member of the Executive Board of Schweizerischen Juristenvereins (since 2012, president from 2021 to 2024) and the Vereinigung der Deutschen Staatsrechtslehrer (since 2024). Benjamin Schindler's research focuses on general administrative law and its foundations, public procedural law, and internal security law.
Main areas of research:
The focus of this research is on the fundamentals of general administrative law, particularly from a legal history and comparative law perspective. The research is legally oriented but strives to establish interdisciplinary links (e.g., with history, business administration, and administrative sciences).
This research focuses on administrative procedural law and administrative process law. I am particularly interested in first-instance, non-contentious administrative proceedings. In addition to the historical and comparative law perspectives, the cross-references, parallels, and differences to civil and criminal procedural law are particularly important to me.
Prof. Dr. Benjamin Schindler offers various lectures in the field of public law.
Prof. Schindler's chair is happy to supervise bachelor's theses, master's theses, and dissertations in the field of constitutional and administrative law.
The requirements for bachelor's and master's theses and dissertations are set out in the official information sheets of the University of St. Gallen (HSG). SIn order to write a good to very good paper, it is recommended that you read and follow the advice given in the book “Juristisches Arbeiten” (Legal Work) by Peter Forstmoser, Regina Ogorek, and Benjamin Schindler (6th edition, 2018; 7th edition to be published in fall 2023). A preliminary discussion of the topic, structure, and literature with the instructor is essential.
If you are interested in writing a thesis at Prof. Schindler's chair, please do not hesitate to contact Prof. Schindler directly with your topic proposal.
Prof. Schindler is happy to provide letters of reference for bachelor's and master's students who actively participate in his classes or have written a good to outstanding paper for him. As a rule, letters of reference cannot be provided for students at the assessment stage.
Here you will find the current list of publications by Prof. Dr. Benjamin Schindler.
Professor of Public Law
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