Institute for Law and Finance

Visit of Delegation from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics on 20 July 2026

We were very pleased to receive a delegation from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) comprising a group of students pursuing PhD, Master's and Bachelor's degrees in SUFE led by Dr. Jiamin Tian, Lecturer and Mr. Jizhong Wang, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Law and Finance (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt) (ILF). The students are currently studying Civil and Commercial Law, International Economic Law and Finance Law at SUFE and they were on a 10-day study trip visiting a number of cities in Germany.

They showed great interest in our LL.M. International Finance program and its comprehensive curriculum and also asked many questions about studying at the ILF after our presentations. The delegation was also given a tour of the Information Center in the House of Finance and thereafter, they were invited to a get-together pizza lunch with ILF representatives in the House of Finance!

Graduation of the ILF Class of 2026! 👩‍🎓 👨‍🎓

On 16 July 2026, the Institute for Law and Finance (Goethe University Frankfurt) celebrated the graduation of 62 talented students from the LL.M. Finance and LL.M. International Finance programs in a memorable ceremony at the House of Finance. 👏

The celebration was opened by Dr. Hendrik Haag, Director of the ILF, who congratulated the graduates on completing an intensive and rewarding academic journey and encouraged them to continue embracing lifelong learning, curiosity, and personal growth. Prof. Dr. David von Mayenburg, Dean of Studies of the Law Faculty at Goethe University Frankfurt, highlighted the achievements, resilience, and international spirit of the Class of 2026, while Mr. Ulrich Schielein, Vice-President and CIO of Goethe University, reflected on the future of law and finance in a rapidly evolving digital world and the importance of human judgment, integrity, and responsibility. They all highlighted the significance of their academic achievements and extended warmest congratulations to the graduates!

The graduating class was also represented by their Class Presidents: Mr. Lorenzo Forleo (LL.M. Finance) and Ms. Liyi S. (LL.M. International Finance), who shared personal reflections on the unforgettable experiences, friendships, and lessons gained throughout their time at the ILF. The Class Vice-Presidents Mr. Rashad Bahramli and Ms. Peixin Bai also shared their reflections and presented the Lecturer of the Year Awards 2026 with sincere and heartfelt congratulations from the class:

🏆 LL.M. Finance
• Winter Semester: Mr. Joachim Hasselbach
• Summer Semester: Dr. Philipp Paech

🏆 LL.M. International Finance
• Winter Semester: Dr. Rüdiger Litten
• Summer Semester: Dr. Till Kosche

The graduation ceremony was a celebration not only of academic success, but also of the friendships, international connections, and shared memories that define the ILF experience.

Congratulations to the ILF Class of 2026! We are so proud of your achievements and wish you all the best for your future! ❤️

https://www.ilf-frankfurt.de/ilf/news/graduation-event-for-the-class-of-2026-on-16-july-2026

𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗟𝗙 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 "𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲" 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱!

In this episode of “The Deal Makers” podcast, ILF Alumna Hameedat Oyenuga speaks with Dr. Johannes Vogel, partner in the asset finance team at Freshfields in Frankfurt, about the dynamics of cross-border asset finance.

They discuss how asset finance differs from traditional corporate lending, the specific risks involved in financing aircraft and other movable assets across jurisdictions, and the growing importance of international frameworks such as the Cape Town Convention. The conversation also explores risk management in emerging markets, pre-delivery payment structures, and how global crises and sanctions regimes are reshaping the legal and commercial landscape of asset-backed transactions.

Tune in Now at https://www.ilf-frankfurt.de/ilf/news/episode-8-of-the-ilf-deal-makers-podcast-series-asset-finance

𝗜𝗟𝗙 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗶𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗶 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗮𝘄

The ILF was honored to welcome two prominent academic delegations from China for collaborative meetings, a library tour and lunch.

➡️On 23 June 2026, the ILF welcomed the delegation from Sichuan Agricultural University (SAU) led by Prof. Yuansheng Jiang, Director of the Publicity Department.

➡️The following day, on 24 June 2026, a senior delegation from Shanghai University of Political Science and Law (SHUPL) led by Prof. Junquan Mao,Vice President.

These two visits provided an excellent opportunity for both parties to share institutional insights, discuss academic and faculty exchanges, and explore potential collaborative projects, particularly in relation to the ILF's LL.M. International Finance program as well as wider partnerships. 🙌

ILF Football World Cup ⚽ Event for Students on 25 June 2026

On 25 June 2026, the Institute for Law and Finance (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt) hosted its first ILF Football World Cup Event on the university campus at Campus Westend. More than 40 students participated in the sports and watch event with great enthusiasm and excitement. It started off in the early evening with our students taking part in groups by playing mini-games at five different stations, two in the House of Finance and three on the field - Foosball, Football Golf, Goal Wall, Kicking of Cans and Drawing of Emblems. During the games, they also could enjoy pizza, pretzels and refreshments while chatting with one another. The best three teams were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals for their achievements! 🏅

After the mini-games competition, the evening continued with everyone watching the football game of the national teams of Germany vs Ecuador in the lecture room of the House of Finance. The evening finally came to an end at around midnight with all participants agreeing that it was an amazing students' event with lots of fun for everyone! It was definitely an evening of fostering camaraderie, team spirit and strong friendships among our students! 💪

https://www.ilf-frankfurt.de/ilf/news/ilf-world-cup-event-for-students-on-25-june-2026

Annual "𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 & 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲" with Hogan Lovells at the JW Marriot Hotel on 23 June 2026

The ILF, together with Hogan Lovells, Deutsches Aktieninstitut, Deutsche Börse, and Going Public, hosted the annual Capital Markets and Takeover Conference in Frankfurt. The event brought together senior practitioners from investment banking, corporate finance, legal advisory, and industry to discuss the most pressing developments shaping European capital markets in 2026.

At the beginning of the conference, Mr. Stefan Maassen, Head of Capital Markets & Corporates, Deutsche Börse, Dr. Claudia Royé, Head of Capital Markets, Deutsches Aktieninstitut e.V. and Prof. Dr. Michael Schlitt, Partner, Hogan Lovells, who also served as the moderator throughout the afternoon, gave the joint welcoming address.

Ms. Sonja Marten, Chief Economist, DZ Bank, opened the program with a comprehensive macroeconomic assessment in her speech “Kapitalmarktausblick 2026”. She outlined the key drivers and risks shaping the capital market environment in 2026, providing the strategic backdrop against which the subsequent panel discussions took place.

The first panel discussion on “Aktuelle Entwicklungen bei Anleihe und strukturierte Produkte” was moderated by Dr. Sven Brandt and Dr. Jochen Seitz, both Partners at Hogan Lovells. This panel brought together leading voices from treasury, investment banking, and corporate finance: Mr. Tim Armbruster, Group Treasurer, KfW, Mr. Maximilian Moser, Partner, Pareto Securities, Dr. Martin P**l, CFO, Grenke AG and Ms. Pamela Steckel, Head of Corporate DCM DACH, UniCredit. The discussion explored the current dynamics in the bond markets and the evolving landscape for structured products.

The second panel discussion on “Marktumfeld und aktuelle Trends für Aktien- und Equity-Linked Transaktionen”, moderated by Dr. Susanne Ries, LL.M. (London), Of Counsel at Hogan Lovells, gathered senior equity capital markets professionals Mr. Sam Ernst, Director – Equity Capital Markets DACH, Barclays, Dr. Martin Kniehase, Head of Investment Banking Legal Continental Europe, Berenberg, Mr. Heiko Leopold, Co-Head Equity Capital Markets D/A/CH, Deutsche Bank, Ms. Sabine Morgenthal, Partner, Brunswick Group and Mr. Markus Pfeifer, Managing Director – Equity Capital Markets, Commerzbank. The panelists shared their perspectives on current market conditions for equity and equity-linked transactions.

The final panel discussion on “Aktuelle Entwicklungen bie öffentlichen Übernahmen und aktivistischen Investoren”, moderated by Dr. Tim Oliver Brandi, LL.M. (Columbia), Dr. Mesut Korkmaz, LL.M. (LSE), and Dr. Michael Rose, all Partners at Hogan Lovells, addressed one of the most dynamic areas of the market. The panelists consisting of Mr. Lukas Sieren, Head of DACH Sponsor Coverage, Jefferies, Mr. Dennis Kaehler, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley and Mr. Michael Thanner, Managing Director, Triton examined recent trends in public M&A and the growing influence of activist investors.

After the conference, all participants and speakers were invited to a get-together “Capital Markets - Talks, Drinks, Snacks & Music” on Roof Top Terrace of the Omniturm, where they enjoyed the view of the Frankfurt skyline. The informal setting provided an ideal opportunity for continued exchange among participants from across the capital markets community and networking! 🙌

ILF Students Attended Expert Lecture on European Banking Supervision at the European Central Bank on 15 June 2026

On 15 June 2026, students from the Institute for Law and Finance (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt) attended an insightful presentation on the role and tasks of the European Central Bank (ECB) in the ECB’s main building in Frankfurt am Main. The lecture began with a digital quiz about the ECB, followed by a comprehensive overview of its vital role in maintaining stability in the European financial system and banking supervision. Afterwards, our students raised various questions leading to discussions on e.g. how the ECB manages to remain independent, how experts at the ECB predict inflation trends, and the implementation of the digital Euro.

This visit provided our students the invaluable experience to acquire a direct insight into the ECB and its workings as well as the opportunity to engage in a lively dialogue with its representatives! We thank the ECB and its representative for hosting us! 👏

7th Digital Financial Services Forum on the topic "Navigating PSD3 & PSR – The Future of Payments" held on 9 June 2026

The Institute for Law and Finance (Goethe University Frankfurt), in collaboration with Freshfields and the Center for Financial Studies, hosted its 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: “𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗦𝗗𝟯 &𝗣𝗦𝗥 – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀” 𝗼𝗻 𝟵 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 which brought together EU policymakers and high-level industry representatives to discuss the future of payment regulation and innovation.

The forum opened with welcoming remarks delivered by Ms. Janina Heinz, Partner at Freshfields, and a keynote address by Ms. Lídia Pereira, Member of the European Parliament and Shadow-Rapporteur for PSD3 and PSR, who outlined the EU's new payments rulebook and the regulatory vision underpinning the forthcoming framework. Ms. Mathilde Bonneau, Director of International Payments Policy at PayPal, then addressed the practical implications of the new rules, with a particular focus on liability, fraud prevention, strong customer authentication and the operational challenges facing payment service providers.

Three fireside chats formed the core of the afternoon program. The first, moderated by Mr. Daniel Klingenbrunn, Principal Associate at Freshfields, examined the growing role of stablecoins in the payments ecosystem, featuring Mr. Benedikt Faupel, Lead Public Affairs of Bitpanda, and Mr. Patrick Hansen, Senior Director for EU Strategy & Policy at Circle. The second, moderated by Ms. Eva Schneider, Principal Associate at Freshfields, explored the use of artificial intelligence in payments, with Mr. Matti Salakari, Head of EU Government Relations at PayPal, and Ms. Amy Aixi Zhang, Lead Product Counsel at Ramp, discussing how agentic AI is transforming payment processes. The final session, moderated by Ms. Alicia Hildner, Counsel at Freshfields, took a broader look at the future of the payments landscape, with Ms. Evelyn Bueno, Global Regulatory Counsel at SumUp, and Dr. Patrik Pohl, Managing Director and Head of Corporate Cash Management Germany at Deutsche Bank, reflecting on market trends and strategic priorities for the years ahead.

The forum provided a valuable platform for dialogue between regulators, legal experts and industry practitioners at a pivotal moment in the development of European payments policy. Many thanks to all speakers and participants! 👏

https://www.ilf-frankfurt.de/ilf/news/7th-digital-financial-services-forum-on-the-topic-navigating-psd3-psr-the-future-of-payments-held-on-9-june-2026

Our following 2 Institute for Law and Finance (Goethe University Frankfurt) LL.M. Finance students give more insights into their mandatory internships completed from Feb to Apr 2026. 👏

Faith Chemobo at the European Central Bank's Directorate General SSM Governance & Operations’ SSM Enforcement and Sanctions Division: "I got the opportunity to work under the SSM Enforcement and Sanctions Division at the European Central Bank, where I gained hands-on experience through research, hands on tasks, shadowing supervisors, and engaging with policy and regulatory work of banks. This gave me a deeper understanding of how banking supervision ensures compliance, accountability, and the integrity of financial institutions. With strong support from experts and supervisors, the experience significantly strengthened my practical skills and helped solidify the direction of my thesis. Beyond the technical work, the internship was also enriched by a truly multicultural environment, where internal events and daily interactions allowed for meaningful cultural exchange and connection with colleagues from across Europe, expanding my professional network.

A memorable moment was meeting Ms. Christine Lagarde at the International Women’s Day event on financial literacy, ‘Closing the Gender Gap.’ A woman I deeply admire and trust in the financial sector. Her advice stayed with me: ‘Take risks, it will pay off eventually.’ It was also inspiring to connect with young women like me in the financial sector who are confident in pursuing what they love. In your 20s, you may get the opportunity to intern at the European Central Bank, through the Institute for Law and Finance (Goethe University Frankfurt). Regardless of where you come from, take it, maximise every day, embrace the chance to learn as much as possible, do not be afraid to ask for work, there is so much to do there and connect with remarkable people from across the EU.”

Iroda Bekmurodova worked in “Acquisition and Leverage Finance” at Baker McKenzie under the supervision of partner Mr. Matthias Töke: “My time in the Banking & Finance at Baker Mckenzie was highly rewarding and gave me invaluable insight into acquisition and leveraged finance transactions. Under the supervision of Mr. Matthias T**e, I worked on multiple transactional matters, which greatly improved my understanding of deal structuring, the growing role and priorities of private equity firms and debt funds in the market, and the way acquisition economics and mechanics are addressed in LMA documentation. I had the opportunity to contribute to live projects as well as to carry out case study reviews. I believe my course on Law of Acquisition Finance taught by Dr. Martin Philipp Heuber became an excellent foundation, making it easier for me to navigate the various aspects of the work with greater confidence.”

https://www.ilf-frankfurt.de/ilf/news/insights-of-llm-finance-students-who-completed-their-mandatory-internships-from-february-to-april-2026