FRANKFURT. This year’s Baker McKenzie Award has been awarded to Dr. Alexander Heger and Dr. Felix-Julius Konow in recognition of their exceptional doctoral research. Since 1988, the international law firm Baker McKenzie has presented the €6,000 award to honor outstanding dissertations and habilitations completed at Goethe University Frankfurt’s Faculty of Law. Eligible works must have received the highest distinction, summa cum laude. The award ceremony will take place on May 8, 2026, during the faculty’s doctoral graduation celebration at the Casino Building on Westend Campus. The prize will be presented by Dr. Florian Thamm, partner at Baker McKenzie.

Dr. Alexander Heger is being recognized for his dissertation, “European Competition Law and Air Transport – A Suitable Legal Framework?”. The study examines how the air transport sector operates within a market economy, how competitive conditions are shaped, and which legal principles can support a sustainable and competitive aviation sector in the European Union over the long term. Dissertation supervisor Prof. Rainer Hofmann praised the work as an outstanding analysis of a legally and factually complex field, noting that its quality is comparable to that of a habilitation. At the heart of the dissertation is the argument that the EU’s concept of the entrepreneurial state offers an appropriate framework for promoting a competitive and sustainable air transport system.

Dr. Felix-Julius Konow will receive the award for his dissertation, “Regulating Stablecoins – The Regulatory Treatment of E-Money Tokens under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation in the Context of the Regulation of Bank Money, E-Money, and Money Market Funds.” In his research, Konow examines the economic function and legal structure of stablecoins – digital currencies linked to the value of traditional currencies. He analyzes potential risks to financial stability and public trust, while also exploring regulatory mechanisms to address them. Dissertation advisor Prof. Katja Langenbucher described the work as a major contribution to the legal classification and regulation of stablecoins and praised its interdisciplinary scope. In particular, she highlighted how the dissertation engages with macroeconomic questions relating to monetary policy, deposit insurance, reserve requirements, and competing monetary theories, integrating these perspectives into a coherent legal framework.

“Baker McKenzie is committed to supporting outstanding young legal scholars, and the Baker McKenzie Award is an important part of that commitment,” says Dr. Florian Thamm, who represents Baker McKenzie on the selection committee of Goethe University’s research council. The firm also supports aspiring legal professionals through additional initiatives such as the Scholarship for Equal Opportunity, which assists law students facing cultural, financial, or family-related barriers to entering legal studies.