Thomas Wilhelmsson

Description of research and teaching

As Chancellor does nor participate in teaching. Does research regarding Europeanisation of (private) law.

Curriculum vitae

Short curriculum vitae

Thomas Wilhelmsson (born in 1949), Doctor of Legal Science, is since 1982 Professor of Civil and Commercial Law at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He was 1998-2008 Vice-rector of the University, in charge of international affairs, 2008-2013 Rector, and since 2013 Chancellor of the University. As rector he has led a thorough university reform, converting the University from a state office into an independent public law legal person. He is since 2010 Vice Chair of the Finnish university association UNIFI and since 2012 president of the Scandinavian university association NUS.

As researcher professor Wilhelmsson has published books and articles in thirteen languages in contract law, insurance law, consumer law, the law of partnerships, tort law, European Community law and legal theory. He is internationally best known for his works on social justice in private law (in English: Critical Studies in Private Law, 1992 and Social Contract Law and European Integration, 1995) and on European consumer law (co-author of EC Consumer Law, 1997 and European Fair Trading Law, 2006). Recently he has been engaged in analysis of new trends of private law in postmodern society as well as in the debate on harmonization of contract law in Europe. For ten years (1980-1990) he was a member of the Finnish Market Court and he has been actively engaged in national and international commercial arbitration. He has been chairing several law drafting committees, dealing with reforms of consumer law, contract law as well as partnership law. He is a member of the Commission on European Contract Law (the Lando-Commission) and the Acquis group. He has been awarded the title Doctor iuris honoris causa by the Uppsala, Oslo and Tartu universities. He was awarded the Nordic Lawyers Prize in 2011. Member of The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters and The Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg.