Explore our knowledge

Mar­ie-Louise Holle

Associate Professor

Subjects
Business law International law Law Public law Supply chain Climate

Primary research areas

Torts, Con­tracts, Ob­lig­a­tions, Private Law
My re­search ex­am­ines the law of ob­lig­a­tions, in par­tic­u­lar tort and con­tract law, with a fo­cus on how leg­al doc­trines al­loc­ate respons­ibility, reg­u­late risk, and provide ef­fect­ive rem­ed­ies. I have writ­ten ex­tens­ively on pro­fes­sion­al and in­sti­tu­tion­al li­ab­il­ity, vi­cari­ous li­ab­il­ity, and con­trac­tu­al gov­ernance, and I served as prin­cip­al ed­it­or of...
Cli­mate Lit­ig­a­tion
My re­search on cli­mate lit­ig­a­tion builds upon long-stand­ing schol­ar­ship in tort law, where cent­ral con­cerns—respons­ibility, pre­ven­tion, and li­ab­il­ity—in­form both pre­vent­ive mech­an­isms, such as du­ties of care and in­junc­tions, and re­medi­al frame­works ad­dress­ing cli­mate-re­lated harm. An es­sen­tial fea­ture of my work is its com­par­at­ive law di­men­sion...
Pub­lic-Private Law In­ter­face
My re­search ex­am­ines the in­ter­face between pub­lic and private law, with a fo­cus on how tort and con­tract doc­trines al­loc­ate respons­ibility in con­texts where state and private act­ors in­ter­sect. This in­cludes ques­tions of li­ab­il­ity, state ac­count­ab­il­ity, and con­trac­tu­al gov­ernance in pub­lic–private frame­works. In ad­di­tion to doc­trin­al ana­lys­is...
Space Law, Com­par­at­ive Law

Re­search­ing tort and con­tract law with a fo­cus on pre­ven­tion, respons­ibility, and their role in both private law and cli­mate lit­ig­a­tion

My research examines how private law—particularly tort and contract law—can address major societal challenges such as climate change, professional accountability, and risk regulation in public–private contexts. I focus on the preventive and remedial functions of private law, exploring how doctrines of liability and contractual responsibility contribute to managing transnational risks and protecting rights. 

As an Affiliated Researcher at Columbia University’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and as a Visiting Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) (ranked No. 8 worldwide), I contribute to global debates on corporate climate liability and the role of private law in sustainability transitions. At NUS, I convened the course Civil Law in a Global Perspective. 

I have presented at leading institutions including Harvard, Columbia, and NUS, and serve as Global Rapporteur on corporate climate litigation. I also co-led the Restatement of Nordic Contract Law, which continues to shape legal education and practice. Through teaching, research, and academic service, I aim to strengthen the role of law in promoting accountability and resilience in society.  

 

Publications

See all publications

24 September 2025

Commodification of Human Remains

Public Policy in Contract Law - and Beyond

Ma­rie-Lou­i­se Hol­le, Associate Professor

Go to publication

3 March 2025

Unlocking Private Law’s Potential in Climate Litigation

The Right to Prevention as a Tool for Change

Ma­rie-Lou­i­se Hol­le, Associate Professor

Go to publication

2025

Vatican Museums Trial (Ultima Generazione Activist)

“La Corte d'Appello dello Stato della Città del Vaticano, 12 marzo 2024”

Ma­rie-Lou­i­se Hol­le, Associate Professor

Go to publication

Aca­dem­ic Ser­vice Activ­it­ies

I currently serve as a board member of JurForsk, the Danish national body for PhD education in law (2023–present), and have been actively engaged in PhD education at CBS as a member of the CBS PhD Committee (2018–2019), PhD Coordinator for CBS LAW fellows (2018–2021), and been a member of PhD assessment committee and a discussant at PhD work-in-progress seminars.

Within CBS LAW, I have contributed to the restructuring and development of research groups, including the design and naming of new thematic clusters. I am also one of two appointed assistant professor supervisors at CBS LAW, responsible for mentoring early career scholars and overseeing their pedagogical training and career progression within the Higher Education Teaching and Educational Programme (HETEP).

At the international level, I am affiliated with the Columbia Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, where I serve as Global Rapporteur and participate in its peer review network and expert panels on climate litigation. In addition, I act as a reviewer for international peer-reviewed journals in private law and climate law, assess research funding applications, and evaluate candidates for academic appointments at CBS and other institutions. I am an editorial board member of Carbon and Climate Law Review.

 

 

 

 

Outside activities

Cen­sorkorp­set , 2016 -