Luhmann Lecture: Does the Rule of Law still matter?
19. Aug
On Tuesday, 20 October 2026, Leuphana Law School will host this year’s Luhmann Lecture. Dame Eleanor Shaprston KC, former Advocate General at the European Court of Justice, will speak on the topic: Does the Rule of Law still matter? Reflections on a fluid and uncertain world
In cooperation with the Alumni and Friends Association of Leuphana University Lüneburg e.V. (AFL), we invite you to a light reception following the lecture.
- Tuesday, 20 October 2026
- 6 p.m.
- Leuphana Campus, Lecture Hall 3
- The lecture will be held in English.
Please register by Friday, 16th October 2026, using this form: Register here
Dame Eleanor Sharpston KC is a distinguished barrister and academic, whose work has profoundly shaped European Union law, particularly in relation to the internal market, Union citizenship, and fundamental rights. From 2006 to 2020, she served as an Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union, authoring more than 450 opinions during a pivotal phase in the Union’s legal development. On her departure from the CJEU, Luxembourg appointed her a Grand Officier of the Ordre de Mérite in recognition of her services to EU law. In 2025, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George – one of the United Kingdom’s highest honours for contributions to international affairs.
During her lecture, Eleanor Sharpston will explore one of the most pressing questions of our time. At a moment where democratic institutions are under strain and legal frameworks face mounting pressure, she will examine whether and why the rule of law still matters – or whether it risks becoming an empty formula.
In cooperation with the Alumni and Friends Association of Leuphana University Lüneburg e.V. (AFL), we invite you to a light reception following the lecture.
With the Luhmann Lecture, Leuphana Law School has established an annual lecture series that explores the effects of law in society. The lecture draws inspiration from the work of Lüneburg-based legal scholar and sociologist Niklas Luhmann, focusing on the foundations and functions of legal structures in modern societies. Moreover, it serves as an open forum for an interdisciplinary discussion of the relationship between law and society.