We ask ourselves the crucial question: How can the design of law contribute to creating more justice and peace in the world?

What would law need to be like to shape transformation processes toward sustainability? What considerations must be made, which actors involved, and what processes must be undertaken so that law is not only written down but also lived, and legislative goals are achieved?

Together, we explore the limits of existing law and the potential areas for shaping it, in order to make it more relevant and application-oriented. Our approach is to harness the transformative potential of law to develop sustainable solutions for challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and cultural tensions.

We combine design methods and design thinking with questions of participation, rule mapping, and systems theory to gain a comprehensive understanding of legal design. In the experimental space of the Leuphana Law Lab, we have the opportunity to try out innovative approaches and test how law can be creatively developed to achieve effective and just outcomes.

The aim of the course was to equip students with the skills to understand and apply legal design as a discipline by teaching them design methods. They were empowered to develop innovative approaches that can shape law flexibly and in a way that is tailored to the needs of its users. A key component of the course was the participation in a project in collaboration with civil society. Within this framework, students were encouraged to contribute to the further development of law and its practical application through dialogue with various stakeholders. This hands-on involvement not only provided them with a deeper understanding of legal design but also gave them the opportunity to actively contribute to developing transformative and equitable solutions to current societal challenges.