TheMax Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law (Max Planck Institute for International Law,MPIL) is a legal research institute located inHeidelberg,Germany. It is operated by theMax Planck Society.

The institute was founded in 1924 and was originally named theKaiser Wilhelm Institute for Foreign and International Public Law and located inBerlin. It later relocated to Heidelberg and received its current name in 1949. The institute currently employs 69 scientific staff and is led by two co-directors,Armin von Bogdandy (since 2002) andAnne Peters (since 2013).^[1] It is seated atHeidelberg University'sNew Campus.

The institute is one of the most important research institutions in theGerman-speaking world in the fields ofinternational law,European law,comparativepublic law, and for the theoretical frameworks oftransnational law. It has traditionally performed important advisory functions for parliaments, administrative organs and courts concerned with questions of public international law, comparative public law and European law. In particular, the institute has provided theGerman Federal Constitutional Court, theGerman Bundestag and theGerman Federal Government with information, expert testimony and counsel, representing theFederal Republic of Germany in several high-profile cases.^[1]

The institute's directors regularly hold the chairs for international law at theUniversity of Heidelberg Law School. Moreover, the institute's directors traditionally have held outstanding positions in national and international courts and bodies:

• Hermann Mosler,Justice in theEuropean Court of Human Rights (1959–1976); Justice in theInternational Court of Justice (1976–1985)
• Rudolf Bernhardt, President of theEuropean Court of Human Rights (Justice 1981–1998, President 1992–1998)
• Helmut Steinberger, Justice in theGerman Federal Constitutional Court (1975–1987), Vice President of theOSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration (2001–2008)
• Jochen Frowein, Vice President of theEuropean Commission for Human Rights (1977–1993)
• Rüdiger Wolfrum, President of theInternational Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Justice since 1996, President 2005–2008)
• Armin von Bogdandy, President of theEuropean Nuclear Energy Tribunal (Justice since 2001, President since 2006)
• Anne Peters, Member (substitute) of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) in respect of Germany (since 2011)

Former research assistants includeHans-Peter Kaul, sitting vice president of theInternational Criminal Court,^[2]Juliane Kokott, sittingAdvocate General of theEuropean Court of Justice,^[3] former Justice in theInternational Court of JusticeCarl-August Fleischhauer,^[4] andGeorg Nolte, present member of theUnited NationsInternational Law Commission.^[5]

With 630.000 volumes, the institute's library contains the largest collection forinternational law,European law, andpublic law inEurope. Regular publications by the institute include the "Heidelberg Journal for International Law", the "Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law"; the "Journal of the History of International Law"; the "Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law"; and the semi-annual bibliography "Public International Law".^[6] Guests are involved in the institute's programs, especially symposia, lectures and the weekly meetings of the research staff, as well as various staff-led working groups on specific subject areas.^[1]

The institute is part of the networkMax Planck Law.

• Carl Bilfinger (1950–1954)
• Hermann Mosler (1954–1980)
• Rudolf Bernhardt (1970–1993)
• Karl Doehring (1963–1987)
• Helmut Steinberger (1987–1997)
• Jochen Frowein (1981–2002)
• Rüdiger Wolfrum (1993–2012)
• Armin von Bogdandy (since 2002)
• Anne Peters (since 2013)

• Max Planck Society
• Heidelberg University
• Heidelberg University Faculty of Law
• Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law
• Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law

• Max Planck Institutes
• Legal research institutes
• Heidelberg
• 1924 establishments in Germany

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