Prof. Dr. Hans-Bernd Schäfer is a German economist and a pioneer in the field of law and economics in Germany and Europe. He is professor emeritus at the University of Hamburg and former director of the Institute of Law & Economics. Currently he is an affiliate professor at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany. He has been visiting professor at various universities abroad, including the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Tel Aviv University faculty of law, George Mason University School of Law (distinguished visiting professor from 2002–2009), and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research. He was a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. He served as President of the European Association of Law & Economics from 2004–2007 and was Director of the European Master Programme in Law & Economics from 2004–2008. In 2012 the faculty of law of the Universidad de San Martín de Porres in Lima awarded him the title of an honorary professor, whilst in 2013 he was awarded the scholar prize of the European Association of Law and Economics.