Dr. Burkhard Schafer

Biography

Burkhard Schafer is a Professor at Edinburgh Law School specializing in Computational Legal Theory. He has a diverse academic background with studies at universities in Mainz, Munich, Florence, and Lancaster. His research areas center on the intersection of law and technology, focusing on the doctrinal and comparative legal-theoretical perspectives that arise from technological advancements. Schafer's work addresses the regulatory challenges posed by technology in the legal system, aiming to bridge the gap between legal informatics and traditional legal practices. He co-founded the SCRIPT Centre for IP law, which aims to develop a holistic view of technology regulation across legal disciplines, while training legal professionals to be conversant with technological issues. Professor Schafer has led involvement in significant projects, including Creative Informatics, which intersects creative industries with R&D efforts. He is also co-director of the Joseph Bell Centre, which explores legal reasoning and forensic statistics. His interests include computational creativity and the role of artificial intelligence in law, and he actively participates in various organizations to foster collaboration between computer science and law.

Research Interests

Experience