Dr Michiel Poesen

Biography

Michiel Poesen is a Lecturer at the Centre for Private International Law (CPIL). Michiel's research interests are in civil and commercial private international law. His research currently focuses on the policies pursued through harmonisation of Private International Law, and how various policy objectives influence the harmonised rules adopted. Michiel has held visiting teaching and research positions at the University of Edinburgh, Maastricht University, Heidelberg University, ELTE Budapest and Hasselt University.

Michiel obtained a PhD from KU Leuven in 2021 under the supervision of Professor Geert Van Calster. His dissertation focused on the concept of "matters relating to a contract" in the EU law of civil jurisdiction. His work was cited in AG Szpunar's Opinion in Case C-265/21 AB, AB-CD v Z EF. Michiel's work on the impact of Brexit on civil and commercial private international law was referenced in a European Parliament study.

Michiel's research has been published in i.a. the Common Market Law Review, Journal for Private International Law, Yearbook of Private International Law, Maastricht Journal for European and Comparative Law, and Uniform Law Review.

Michiel has advised the European Commission on the reform of European private international law as a consultant multiple times, and as a national expert for studies conducted by the European Association for Private International Law (EAPIL). He also co-advised the Belgian government in preliminary reference proceedings before the European Court of Justice.

Prior to joining the Law School, Michiel was a postdoctoral research fellow at the KU Leuven Research Council and a fixed-term lecturer of International Business Law in the Leuven LL.M. programme. He gained practical experience as a junior dispute resolution associate in a Brussels-based law firm, as a trainee at the European Commission (DG Justice and Consumers), and as a law clerk in two Belgian commercial courts.

Research Overview

• Private International Law in the European Union (EU)
• Jurisdiction in civil and commercial matters
• Strategic international litigation
• Private international law and artificial intelligence (AI)
• Brexit and international commercial dispute resolution

Current Research

My current project questions whether economic integration can be stimulated by harmonising private international law. While the leading assumption driving harmonisation for the last five decades has been that this is the case, no serious empirical testing has been done. It is argued that further evidence is needed given the formative impact this assumption has had on the field, sometimes eclipsing other non-economical policy aims.

Funding and Grants

• Fellow of the KU Leuven Research Fund (2021-2022)
• Stanford Existential Risk Initiative (SERI) Summer Fellow (2021)
• Consultant for European Commission studies on the Brussels Ia Regulation and Rome II Regulation (JUDGTRUST; BIICL; Milieu)
• PhD Fellow at the Institute for Private International Law at KU Leuven (2017-2021)