Faculty of Law

Sukurta: 09 April 2024

9 Saulėtekio Ave., Building 1, LT-10222 Vilnius
Tel. +370 5 236 6185,
E-mail:
http://www.tf.vu.lt

Dean – Assoc. Prof. Dr Haroldas Šinkūnas

STAFF
108 teachers (incl. 83 holding research degree), 14 research fellows (incl. 13 holding research degree).

DEPARTMENTS OF THE FACULTY
Department of Criminal Justice
Department of Private Law
Department of Public Law

RESEARCH AREAS
Faculty of Law
Challenges of Crises and Sustainable Development and Digital Technologies for the Legal System [2022–2024] (According the Decision of the Council of Faculty of Law of 9 November 2022, Protocol No 220000-TP-11).

Department of Criminal Justice
Challenges of New Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Criminal Justice [2022-2024]

Department of Private Law
Effective Operation of Private and Procedural Law under Extraordinary Social, Political and Economic conditions [2022–2024]

Department of Public Law
Issues of Democracy, the Rule of Law and Human Rights in the Context of Modern Technology, Sustainable Development and Geopolitical-legal Challenges [2022–2024]

DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS MAINTAINED IN 2023
Bartkus, J. The Admissibility of Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration.
Shevchenko, O. Regulation of Civil Liability for Incidents related to Intelligent Connected Driving in the European Union.
Bakanauskas, E. Recognition of the Group Interest, Protection of the Minority Shareholders’ Rights of the Subsidiary Private Limited Liability Company: Problematic Aspects of Company Law.
Pogužinskė, E. The Supervision of Activities of Economic Entities in Lithuanian Public Administration.

MAIN CONFERENCES ORGANIZED IN 2023
1. February 10, 2023 The Faculty of Law of Vilnius University hosted an international scientific-practical conference “Twenty Years of the Application of the Codified Law of Criminal Justice in Lithuania”, organised by the Department of Criminal Justice (the Department).
The conference was opened by the speech of the Dean of the Faculty of Law of Vilnius University, Assoc. Prof. Dr Haroldas Šinkūnas. The first lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr Jonas Prapiestis. The presentation included, among other things, an overview of the consequences of the application of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania (the Code) since its entry into force on 1 May 2003. At the same time, on the basis of the results of the systematic studies of the Code carried out by the Department's researchers, the necessity to prepare a new version of the Code was stated, after the joint efforts of specialists in criminal law, criminal procedure, execution of penalties and criminologists had prepared and the Seimas had approved the Concept of Criminal Policy. The conference also evaluated the legislative situation and quality of the Criminal Procedure Code (partnership professor Dr Gintaras Goda) and the Penal Enforcement Code (Assoc. Prof. Dr Gintautas Sakalauskas) and the effectiveness of their application. The conference also featured presentations by well-known Ukrainian legal scholars: the head of the drafting group of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine, which was set up on the instructions of the President of Ukraine, academician Dr Yurii Baulin, professors of criminal procedure law Dr Mykhaylo Shepitko and Dr Valery Shepitko.
https://www.tf.vu.lt/news/conference-twenty-years-of-the-application-of-the-codified-law-of-lithuanian-criminal-justice/
2. February 24, 2023 Marking the year of Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Faculty of Law of Vilnius University, in cooperation with Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and Newcastle University, organized the international conference “Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine: The Year Nobody Expected”. During the conference, ambassadors, scientists and practitioners drew attention to Russia’s brutal violations of the principles of international law and human rights in Ukraine. Speakers of the conference emphasized the worrisome threat to fundamental values - the rule of law and democracy. The international conference consisted of three thematic sessions: Ukraine and international organizations, the processes of Russia’s responsibility for international law violations, and the international crimes of Russia in Ukraine evaluated from the perspective of criminal justice. Conference sessions were moderated by VU Law Fcaulty Prof. Dr Tomas Davulis and Assoc. Prof. Dr Indrė Isokaitė–Valužė.
https://www.tf.vu.lt/science_events_archives/2023-3/an-international-conference-was-held-to-discuss-the-aggression-experienced-by-ukraine/
3. May 5, 2023 On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC), the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences (LAS) and Vilnius University Faculty of Law organised a conference “The 20th Anniversary of the Civil Procedure Code of the Republic of Lithuania - Expectations and Outcomes”. The conference was opened and welcomed by the President of the Humanities Division of the LAS, Prof. Habil. Dr Vytautas Nekrošius. On behalf of Vilnius University Faculty of Law, the participants were greeted by the Vice-Dean for Studies, Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigita Vėbraitė.
Presentations were made by academician Prof. Habil. Dr V. Nekrošius on “The New CPC - expectations and results”, academician Prof. Habil. Dr Valentinas Mikelėnas on “Representative Actions”, assistant professor of Vilnius University Faculty of Law Dr V. Vėbraitė on “Civil Procedure in the Court of First Instance”, lect. Albertas Šekštelo “Provisional Measures of Protection - from the Wild West to the Civilized World?”, Assoc. Prof. Dr Rimantas Simaitis “Lessons from the Digitalization and Automation of Lithuanian Civil Procedure: what have we learned in the last twenty years?”, Assoc. Prof. Prac. Andžej Maciejevski “The development of the forms of control of court decisions - appeal and cassation”, Prof. Prac. Dr Egidija Tamošiūnienė “Reform of the enforcement procedure - what has been successful?”.
https://www.tf.vu.lt/science_events_archives/2023-2/ivyko-konferencija-lietuvos-respublikos-civilinio-proceso-kodekso-20-metis-lukesciai-ir-rezultatai/
4. May 18-19, 2023 Faculty of Law of Vilnius University hosted the 10th International Conference of PhD students and young researchers “The Good, the Bad and the Legal: Balance between Stability and Disruptions of Law”. More than 30 PhD students from Lithuania, Poland, Germany, France, Belgium, Portugal and Slovenia participated in the scientific event. The young researchers discussed a wide range of topics, such as the challenges of artificial intelligence, environmental challenges to law, current human rights issues, etc.
The participants of the conference were greeted by Vice Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigita Vėbraitė. She stated that “this year’s 10th international conference of PhD students and young researchers at Vilnius University shows that it has become a traditional platform for doctoral students from different countries to discuss different topics in a friendly and relaxed environment. That was one of the objectives of the International Network of Doctoral Studies in Law when the agreement for the establishment of this network was signed in 2014.
During the opening of the conference also the introductory lecture on disruptive technologies in law, written by AI, was presented. On the second day of the conference, an introductory lecture on “Constitutional aspects of the 2023 French pension reform” was presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr Basile Ridard from University of Poitiers in France.
https://www.tf.vu.lt/science_events_archives/2023-3/vu-faculty-of-law-hosted-international-conference-for-phd-students/
5. October 10, 2023 Faculty of Law of Vilnius university held an international scientific conference “The Digital Asset Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges” where legal scientists shared their knowledge and discussed technological issues emerging in securing privacy, ensuring property of data and digital assets and other areas of legal aspects. Conference “The Digital Asset Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges” attracted almost 20 panelists, who arrived from the United States of America, The Netherlands, Italy and Poland. Also, the most prominent researchers in digitalization and law from Lithuania share their insights. There were almost 100 participants. All reports were filmed, conference video is uploaded here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuqqDAUKz9hN6eXCusU8Jw/videos.
https://www.tf.vu.lt/science_events_archives/2023-2/tarptautineje-konferencijoje-aptarti-teisei-keliami-skaitmenizacijos-issukiai/

MAIN SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2023
1. Constitutional consciousness: in search of a remedy for the crisis of discourse and democracy deficit in the European Union / Edited by S. Žalimienė, Bartosz Wojciechowski. Berlin : Peter Lang, 2023. ISBN 9783631895566. (Dia-Logos ; vol. 31). DOI: 10.3726/b21009
2. Review of Central and East European law: Special Issue: Thirty Years of the Constitution of Lithuania / Edited by E. Kūris and D. Pūraitė-Andrikienė. Leiden : Brill. ISSN 0925-9880. eISSN 1573-0352. 2023, vol. 48, iss. 2. https://brill.com/view/journals/rela/48/2/rela.48.issue-2.xml#top
3. Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, J.; Žvaigždinienė, I. The boundaries of administrative judicial review in Lithuania Natura 2000 cases // EU enviromental principles and scientific uncertainty before national courts: the case of the habitats directive / edited by: Mariolina Eliantonio, Emma Lees, Tiina Paloniitty. Oxford : Hart Publishing, 2023. ISBN 9781509948192. eISBN 9781509948208. p. 79-95.
4. Davulis, T. Lithuania // Restatement of Labour Law in Europe. Volume III: Dismissal Protection : a handbook / edited by Bernd Waas. München : C.H. Beck, 2023. ISBN 9783406788970. p. 653-696.
5. The challenges and opportunities in law: Ukrainian case under the conditions of war : monograph / Edited by T. Davulis, L. Gasparėnienė. Kraków : Ksiegarnia Akademicka Publishing, 2023. ISBN 9788381388887. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12797/9788381388887

DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

9 Saulėtekio Ave., Building 1, LT-10222 Vilnius
Tel. +370 5 236 6167, +370 5 236 6168
E-mail:

Head – Prof. Dr Jonas Prapiestis

STAFF
Professors: Habil. Dr G. Švedas, Dr A. Gutauskas, Dr J. Prapiestis.
Associate Professors: Dr A. Gorbatkov, Dr G. Juodkaitė-Granskienė, Dr J. Levon, Dr R. Merkevičius, Dr I. Michailovič, Dr G. Sakalauskas, Dr A. Vosyliūtė;
Professors of Practice: Dr G. Goda
Associate Professors of Practice: G. Jasaitis, A. Meška.
Assistants: Dr J. Namavičius, Dr P. Veršekys.
Lecturers: Dr A. Juozapavičius, Dr G. Višinskis, M. Aidukas, M. Dobrovolskis,
V. Kilinskas, D. Prapiestis, R. Žiedė, U. Markevičiūtė, A. Pažarskis, L. Šivickaitė-Moldarienė.
Junior Assistants: L. Martinaitytė, G. Norvaišytė.
Researcher: E. Raistenskis.
Doctoral students: M. Dobrovolskis, I. Gagas, G. Klimaitė, D. Kononovas, G. Norvaišytė, G. Skripkutė.

RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Efficiency of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure Law and Punishment Execution Law
• Substantive Criminal Law
• Juvenile Criminal Law
• Penitentiary and Probation Law
• Criminology
• Qualification of Criminal Acts
• Comparative Criminal Law
• Criminal Policy
• International and EU Criminal Law
• Law of Criminal procedure
• International and EU Criminal Procedure Law
• Criminalistics

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2023
Projects Supported by the University Budget
Challenges of New Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Criminal Justice (2022–2024). Head - Prof. Dr J. Prapiestis.
Research on the challenges that new technologies and artificial intelligence imply to the criminal law, criminal process and execution of punishments, problems of international and EU legal acts, Criminal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Code of Punishment Execution and application of the laws and other legal acts, related to them, jurisprudence of national and international courts, and, also, factors and tendencies of penal politics in Lithuania was developed and academically motivated recommendations and publications were prepared.

Protection of Whistle-Blowers in Criminal Proceedings. LMT Support for state-funded doctoral places allocated by tender. Supervisor - Prof. Habil. Dr G. Švedas, Doctoral student: I. Gagas.
The aim of the dissertation is to comprehensively and comprehensively, based on European Union and national legal regulation and application practice, analyze and evaluate the whistleblower protection institute (model) in Lithuanian criminal proceedings, its compliance with the European Union and national constitutional requirements (protection of human rights), and the effectiveness of its application assumptions, as well as to make suggestions regarding possible directions for its improvement. In order to achieve this goal, the following tasks of the dissertation work would be set: 1) to investigate and evaluate the significance of European Union legal acts for the protection of whistleblowers in criminal proceedings for national legal regulation and the quality of the implementation of their requirements; 2) to analyze and reveal the characteristics and concept of the whistleblower protection institute in Lithuanian criminal proceedings, comparing them with the institutes provided for in the law of other European Union member states; 3) analyze the practice of applying the whistleblower protection institute in Lithuanian criminal proceedings and evaluate its effectiveness; 4) conduct an interview survey of judges and prosecutors, analyze their opinion and identify problems related to the regulation and/or application of the institute for whistleblower protection in Lithuanian criminal proceedings; 5) if necessary, submit proposals for improving the regulation of the whistleblower protection institute in Lithuanian criminal proceedings and/or changing the application practice.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Legal System under Conditions of War: Ukrainian Case. Head - Prof. Dr T. Davulis and Dr L. Gasparėnienė.
This research project, partially funded by the Research Council of Lithuania, was established as a special initiative to support the research endeavors of Ukrainian scholars in Lithuania. Focusing on various legal domains such as human rights protection, international cooperation, crime, victimology, human rights and criminal justice, intellectual property law, real property law, tax law, and personal inalienable rights to life, health, and health care, the study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis within the context of martial law. The timeliness of the research is underscored by the rapidly evolving geopolitical and geo-economic landscape globally and in the European region. Examining themes that have gained increasing relevance in today's context, the project explores the meaning of law, legal responses, and strategies to enhance the efficacy of theory and practice during and after war. Notably, the research aligns with Ukraine's European integration efforts, emphasizing the harmonization of its legislation with European norms, compliance with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the European Court of Justice (ECJ), and adherence to the EU acquis. This becomes particularly significant in light of the EU's decision on June 23, 2022, to confer candidate status on Ukraine for accession to the European Union with specified requirements. The research aims to formulate conclusions and recommendations grounded in a thorough analysis of both domestic and international scholarly contributions, aiming to contribute to the enhancement of legal norms and practices, facilitating their application in future scientific investigations.
Main publication:
1. The challenges and opportunities in law: Ukrainian case under the conditions of war : monograph / Edited by T. Davulis, L. Gasparėnienė. Kraków : Ksiegarnia Akademicka Publishing, 2023. ISBN 9788381388887. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12797/9788381388887

National Research Projects
Publishing of Vilnius University Research Papers Journal Teisė (Law) (1.78 Mr) SU-196, vol. 122-125 (2022-02–2024). Project manager - Prof. Dr T. Davulis, team - Prof. Habil. Dr G. Švedas, Prof. Dr J. Machovenko.
The aim of the project is to present and disseminate the best doctrinal achievements in the field of the science of law in Lithuania and the results of national scientific research.

Alternatives to Imprisonment in Post-Soviet States (2021–2024). Project manager - Prof. Habil. Dr G. Švedas, team - Dr J. Levon. The project is funded by Lithuanian-Polish call “DAINA2” and administered by the Lithuanian Science Council.
The general objective of the project is to provide an answer to the following two-fold question – why there is still such a difference between prison rates in the West and the East of the continent and how we can regulate sanctions and other measures in Central & East European countries in order to close this gap and comply with the European standards. The project’s specific objectives are as follows:
- to conduct a comparative legal and statistical analysis of the current criminal policy on imprisonment and alternatives to detention in a group of Eastern European states (Estonia, Slovakia, Romania, Poland and Lithuania),
- to conduct a comparative legal analysis of the compliance of the national legislation with the Council of Europe and European Union standards on deprivation of liberty and alternatives to detention,
- to identify the best possible practices on alternatives to detention in order to close the gap between the West and the East of Europe,
- to develop conclusions on best practices and recommendations in order to inform relevant future criminal policy and criminal law making.
The results of the project will be presented at the final conference in Warsaw, Poland.

The Predictors of Criminal Risk for Convicts in Emerging Adulthood (2022–2024). Head - Assoc. Prof. Dr G. Sakalauskas, team – Dr V. Klimukienė. The Postdoctoral fellowship project is funded by the Lithuanian Science Council.
The project objectives are as follows: 1) To examine the convergent validity of the START:AV with OASys within samples of young adult convicts between the age of 18–21 and 22–24; 2) To investigate the significance of identity formation aspects (e.g., commitment, indepth exploration and reconsideration of commitment), psychopathology and adaptive functioning in relation to risk and protective factors of young adult convicts; 3) To assess the accuracy of the following adverse outcomes of young adult convicts within the period of three months of their imprisonment: Violence, Non Violent Offenses, Substance Abuse and Unauthorized Absences; 4) To examine the predictive accuracy of Risk and Protective factors, psychopathology and adaptive functioning (ASR) identity formation for the above mentioned adverse outcomes of young adult convicts with respect to age differences.

International Research Project
Globalization, Illicit Trade, Sustainability and Security (COST GLITSS) (CA21133) (2022–2026). Prof. Habil. Dr G. Švedas – National partner (for more information see: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA21133).
The main objective of COST activities is to create the necessary assumptions and implement a holistic approach to the study of various aspects of illegal trade, to increase the awareness of state institutions and the public in order to raise public resilience and study the impact and how technological innovations can be used to combat illicit trade.

Global Atrocity Justice Constellations (Justice360) (CA18228) (2019-2024). Prof. Habil. Dr G. Švedas – Management Committee (for more information see: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18228/).
Global Atrocity Crimes Constellations (JUSTICE360) reverses the ICT-centred paradigm to focus instead on how ICTs are received in domestic contexts and how this reception shapes the space in which they work. Through this change of perspective, the Action constructs an unprecedented panoramic view on the global and cross-systemic impacts of international criminal justice. Under this new paradigm, ICTs are seen as institutions working in larger global atrocity justice constellations. Such constellations are comprised especially of states, state institutions, civil society, and population at large. By conducting case studies in almost 40 countries representative of the larger global relations between states and ICTs, JUSTICE360 will build unique data on how such states perceive and handle international crimes, perpetrators and victims.

Digital Forensic, Open Data Source and Artificial Intelligence for International Criminal Liability: the Case of Russian War Crimes in Ukraine (2023-02–2024-08). Project manager – Dr K. Latysh, supervisor – G. Juodkaitė-Granskienė. MSCA4 Ukraine.
The project contributes to strengthening digital capacity to investigate and prosecute war crimes. The project objectives are: 1) introduce digital forensics tools; 2) develop methods of collecting, recording, storing digital information; 3) develop requirements to open source digital information used for international crimes investigation, taking into account the requirements of international law and courts practice; 4) explore artificial intelligence using possibilities in law enforcement activities, and in justice with respect for the balance of human rights in the personal data field. Expected scientific impact will be creating new knowledge, reinforcing scientific equipment and instruments, computing systems. The Project will have practical consequences and provide tangible support to the law enforcement and prosecution authorities involved in war crime investigation in Ukraine.
Main publications:
1. Latysh, K. Concept of digital forensics and open data source information in the investigation process = Skaitmeninės kriminalistikos samprata ir atvirų duomenų šaltinio informacija tyrimo procese // Kriminalistika ir teismo ekspertologija: mokslas, studijos, praktika 19 / Criminalistics and forensic expertology: science, studies, expertology: science, studies, practice : recenzuojamų mokslinių straipsnių rinkinys. Vilnius : Lietuvos teismo ekspertizės centras, Lietuvos kriminalistų draugija. ISSN 2783-7068. 2023, p. 89-93.
2. Latysh, K. The role of digital forensics in the investigation of international crimes. Забезпечення стійкості у складних умовах: збірник матеріалів доповідей учасників міжнародної міждисциплінарної науково-практичної конференції. (Харків – Брістоль, 8 червня 2023 р.). Харків, 2023. 288 с. C. 54-56.
3. Latysh, K. Volume II: Criminalistic technique and tactics. Textbook of criminalistics. Kharkiv: Pravo Publishing House LLC, 2023. 840 p.

Mediation as a Tool for Constructive Conflict Resolution Using Community-Based Reconciliation Approach (2023-12). Supervisor - Assoc. Prof. Dr I. Michailovič. The project is financed under the European University Arqus Alliance Twinning programme.
The aim of the project is to discuss the peculiarities of restorative justice and mediation in criminal matters and in the public sphere in Lithuania and Poland. Five students of criminology (3rd year of undergraduate studies) of the Faculty of Philosophy of VU studying the course „Grounds for Exercising Criminal Liability” at the Faculty of Law taught by Dr Ilona Michailovič will participate in the exchange visit at the Wrocław University, Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics (Poland). The project will strengthen the scientific relations between both universities as partners in the field of peaceful conflict resolution. In addition, the project will contribute to the further development of the Polish Law School at the Faculty of Law of the VU.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
ARQUS European University Alliance
University of Graz (Austria)
The University of Bergen (Norway)
The Jagiellonian University in Krakow, (Poland)
The Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences – ILS PAS (Poland)
Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Lodz (Poland)
Faculty of Law, University of Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prof. Habil. Dr Švedas, G.
• Editorial board member of journal “New Journal of European Criminal Law” https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/new-journal-of-european-criminal-law/journal202696#editorial-board;
• Advisory board member of journal “Ius Novum”,
https://iusnovum.lazarski.pl/en/advisory-board/;
• Chief editor of journal “VU mokslo darbai. Teisė”, https://www.journals.vu.lt/teise/about/editorialTeam;
• Editorial board member of “European Polygraph”,
https://www.polygraph.pl/editors/;
• Editorial board member of journal “Štát a Právo”,
https://www.prf.umb.sk/o-fakulte/pre-verejnost/vedecky-casopis-stat-a-pravo/scientific-board-vedecka-rada.html;
• Contact point for Lithuania and member of Management Committee at ECLAN (European Criminal Law Academic Network),
http://eclan.eu/en/member/gintaras-svedas;
• Member and foreign expert of the Law Reform Working Group Concealed by the President of Ukraine,
https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/5842019-28949;
• Management Committee of the Global Atrocity Justice Constellations (Justice360) (CA18228), https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18228/.
• National member of the Executive Committee of Globalization, Illicit Trade, Sustainability and Security (GLISS),
https://informacija.lmt.lt/COST/.
Prof. Dr Gutauskas, A.
• Editorial board member of journal “Archivio Penale”,
https://archiviopenale.it/chi-siamo;
• Editorial board member of journal “Studia Prawnicze. Rozprawy i Materiały”,
https://sil.ka.edu.pl/;
• Expert member of GRETA, https://www.coe.int/en/web/anti-human-trafficking/composition
Prof. Dr Prapiestis, J.
• Editorial board member of journal “VU mokslo darbai. Teisė”, https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/teise/about/editorialTeam;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Juodkaitė-Granskienė, G.
• Editorial and scientific committee member of “Theory and Practice of Forensic Science and Criminalistics”;
https://khrife-journal.org/index.php/journal/about/editorialTeam.
• Member of the Presidium at Congress of Criminalists of Ukraine, https://crimcongress.com/en/guide/;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Sakalauskas, G.
• Editorial board member of journal “Kriminologijos studijos”, https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/kriminologijos-studijos/about/editorialTeam;
• Editorial board member of journal “Nowa Kodyfikacja Prawa Karnego”,
https://wuwr.pl/nkp/scientific-board;
• Member of International Penal and Penitentiary Foundation (IPPF).
Assoc. Prof. Dr Gorbatkov, A.
• Member of the scientific-editorial committee for the preparation of journal “Kriminalistika ir teismo ekspertologija: mokslas, studijos, praktika” (2023, XIX).
Assoc. Prof. Dr Michailovič, I.
• Member of the advisory board of journal “Niebieska Linia”, https://www.niebieskalinia.pl/czasopismo/kontakt-z-redakcja;
• Member of European Forum for Restorative Justice;
• Member of the working group initiative Rape is a War Crime, https://www.rapeisawarcrime.org/partners-of-the-initiative;
• Board member of Lithuania Criminology Association, https://kriminologija.lt/apie-mus/valdyba/;
• Member of the Victimology Working Group in European Society of Criminology,
https://esc-eurocrim.org/v2/working-groups#1700780566861-49743e9b-dc0c.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Vosyliūtė, A.
• National member of the Executive Committee of Globalization, Illicit Trade, Sustainability and Security (GLISS),
https://informacija.lmt.lt/COST/.

BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD
1. Assoc. Prof. Dr Juodkaitė-Granskienė, G., Assoc. Prof. Dr Gorbatkov, A. “Are special knowledge neccessary for solving situational questions?”. In conference: XIXth International Congress Criminalistics and Forensic Expertology: Science, Studies, Practice, Brno, Czech Republic, September 13-15, 2023 [https://crimcongress.law.muni.cz/content/en/programme/]
2. Assoc. Prof. Dr Juodkaitė-Granskienė, G., Mozūraitis, G., Graželis, K. “Forensic conclusions as evidence in criminal proceedings: experts position vs judge position”. In conference: XIXth International Congress Criminalistics and Forensic Expertology: Science, Studies, Practice, Brno, Czech Republic, September 13-15, 2023. [https://crimcongress.law.muni.cz/content/en/programme/]
3. Assoc. Prof. Dr Juodkaitė-Granskienė, G., Rudėnaitė, S. “Evaluation of judicial activity as one of obligatory procedures for promotion of judges: Lithuanian perspective”. In conference: Model of Competences in Selection, Evaluation and Promotion of Judges, Specifics and Reflections of Individual Countries, Prague, Czech Republic, October 5-6, 2023. [https://judgeportrait.eu/2023/09/21/third-international-conference-register-now/]
4. Assoc. Prof. Dr Michailovič, I. “Is mediation appropriate in cases involving domestic abuse?” In the 35th Baltic Criminological seminar: Challenges for Criminology in Turbulent Times, Tallinn, Estonia, June 19-20, 2023. [https://www.facebook.com/baltic.criminology]
5. Assoc. Prof. Dr Michailovič, I. “Focusing on restorative justice and mediation in the context of domestic violence and abuse”. In European Conference on Domestic Violence (ECDV), Reykjavík, Iceland, September 11-13, 2023 [https://ecdv.hi.is/]
6. Markevičiūtė, U. “Why do Lithuanians convicted in another EU Member State not want to be transferred back to Lithuania to continue their custodial sentence?”. In international conference: The Future of European Criminal Law, Liverpool, England, November 30, 2023. [https://eclan.eu/en]
7. Prof. Habil. Dr Švedas, G. “Assessment of the draft Criminal Code of Ukraine”. In webinar: Presentation and discussions on the proposals and recommendations for improvement of the CC of Ukraine project, 2023.

MOST IMPORTANT CASES OF THE PARTICIPATION OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANISATIONS, AND BUSINESS ENTITIES
Prof. Habil. Dr Švedas, G.
• Member of the Criminal Code Supervisory Commission, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/5b4723d02f1f11e78397ae072f58c508
• Member of the Bar Examination Commission, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/b5418de0a2d811ebb458f88c56e2040c?jfwid=8m7ncsdm3
Prof. Dr Prapiestis, J.
• Member of Selection Board for Prosecutors, Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.prokuraturos.lt/lt/komisijos/prokuroru-atrankos-komisija/komisijos-sudetis/158
• Member of the Selection Board for Judicial Candidates
https://www.lrp.lt/data/public/uploads/2022/10/2022-10-31-nr.-1k-1158.pdf
• Member of the Freedom Prize Commission, Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/3b555a12394811eb8c97e01ffe050e1c/SObhwcnazU?jfwid=rwzi8765l
Prof. Prac. Dr Goda, G.
• Member of the Committee for the Supervision of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/18ba9201076e11ecb4af84e751d2e0c9
Assoc. Prof. Dr Levon, J.
• Member of Examination Board for Candidates for Prosecutors, Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.prokuraturos.lt/lt/komisijos/pretendentu-egzaminu-komisija/komisijos-sudetis/154
Assoc. Prof. Dr Merkevičius, R.
• Member of Forensic Expert Coordination Board, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/0275b9f2c54011eab2168935922ac3ab

Assoc. Prof. Dr Michailovič, I.
• Member of Equal opportunities network, Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/d8ab5c90035311ebbedbd456d2fb030d/asr
• Member of the Commission for the Attestation of Prosecutors, Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.prokuraturos.lt/lt/komisijos/prokuroru-atestacijos-komisija/komisijos-sudetis/162
Assoc. Prof. Dr Sakalauskas, G.
• Member of Lithuanian Council of Social Work, Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania
https://socmin.lrv.lt/lt/naujienos/darba-pradeda-naujos-sudeties-socialinio-darbo-taryba
• Member of the Grace Commission, President of the Republic of Lithuania
Assoc. Prof. Dr Juodkaitė-Granskienė, G.
• Member of Committee for the Evaluation of the Performance of Permanent Judges, Council of the Judiciary
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/ee26f0905d8e11eaac56f6e40072e018?jfwid=-7dzcw4qr7

CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY THE UNIT TO THE PUBLIC OR ECONOMIC ENTITIES
1. Prapiestis, D. Legal opinion for the Committee on Legal Affairs of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania “On the Draft Law No. XIVP-3001 Amending Articles 114, 119, 120, and 121 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania”, 2023-11-10.
2. Prapiestis, D. Legal opinion for the Committee on Legal Affairs of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania “On the Draft Law No. XIVP-2570 Amending Article 95 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania”, 2023-11-10.
3. Prapiestis, D. Legal opinion for the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Lithuania “On the Application of Articles 189 and 216 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania”, 2023-04-28.
4. Legal opinion of the scientific group Prof. Habil. Dr Švedas, G., Prof. Dr Prapiestis, J., Assoc. Prof. Dr Michailovič, I., Assoc. Prof. Dr Sakalauskas, G., Dr Višinskis, G., Markevičiūtė, U., Aidukas, M., Prapiestis, D., and Šivickaitė-Moldarienė, L. for the Committee on Legal Affairs of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania “On the Draft Law No. XIVP-3066 amending and supplementing the Criminal Code and the Draft Law No. XIVP-3067 amending and supplementing the Code of Criminal Procedure”, 2023-11-06.
5. Prof. Habil. Dr Švedas, G. Legal opinion for the Government agency Ministry of Education and Science. Expert opinion on standart of higher education of the third level on the degree of doctor of philosophy in the field of law, 2023-02-20.

MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
1. Assoc. Prof. Dr Michailovič, I. Participation in LRT radio “Aktualijų studija”: “Kaip vaikus apsaugoti nuo seksualinio smurto?”, 2023-05-04.
2. Assoc. Prof. Dr Merkevičius, R. Artical in TeisePro: Requiem Baudžiamojo proceso kodeksui arba “o gal prokurorų kartais net negarbingo verkšlenimo dėl atlyginimų įkaitintoje atmosferoje reikėtų pakalbėti ir apie jų kompetenciją”? 2023-06-24.
3. Assoc. Prof. Dr Sakalauskas, G. Interview in LRT radio “Ryto garsai” on prosecuting child sexual abuse, 2023-01-25.
4. Assoc. Prof. Dr Sakalauskas, G. Interview in 15min.lt (journalist Ramūnas Jakubauskas) on the prosecution and prevention of child sexual abuse, 2023-06-07.

DEPARTMENT OF PRIVATE LAW

9 Saulėtekio Ave., Building 1, LT-10222, Vilnius
Tel. +370 5 236 6169, +370 5 236 6170
E-mail:
Heads:
Prof. Dr Tomas Davulis [until 2023-03-29]
Assoc. Prof. Dr Vida Petrylaitė [since 2023-03-29]

STAFF
Professors: Habil. Dr V. Mikelėnas, Habil. Dr V. Nekrošius, Dr T. Davulis, Dr V. Mizaras, Dr D. Petrylaitė, Dr R. Birštonas.
Professors of Practice: Dr Š. Keserauskas, Dr E. Tamošiūnienė, Dr A. Driukas, Dr A. Taminskas, A. Bitinas.
Associate Professors: Dr T. Bagdanskis, Dr D. Bublienė, Dr L. Didžiulis, Dr P. Miliauskas, Dr V. Petrylaitė, Dr R. Simaitis, Dr D. Soloveičik, Dr J. Usonis, Dr V. Vėbraitė.
Associate Professors of Practice: G. Bartkus, A. Maciejevski.
Assistants: Dr V. Terekhov.
Lecturers: Dr J. Maculevič, Dr N. Kasiliauskas, Dr A. Paliukėnas, Dr S. Barakauskas, Dr N. Gaubienė, Dr I. Povilaitienė, Dr T. Varapnickas, Dr E. Zemlytė, Dr S. Aviža, Dr S. Drazdauskas, Dr E. Lauraitytė, Dr T. Kontautas, Dr R. Juzikienė, Dr K. Pranevičienė, Dr P. Jurčys, DrG. Taminskaitė, A. Šuminas, A. Šekštelo, S. Cirtautaitė-Kaminskienė, L. Dzindzelėtaitė-Šaltė, M. Matiukas, S. Vilkelytė, I. Rimavičienė.
Junior Assistants: Dr J. Bartkus, A. Šerniūtė, J. Drakšas, E. Kadys.
Principal Scientist: Dr L. Gasparienienė, Dr R. Remeikienė.
Doctoral Students: A. A. F. Azzam, S. Bareika, I. Breskienė, N. Bubnaitytė, J. Drakšas, L. Dzindzelėtaitė-Šaltė, A. Grumulaitis, S. Idkinaitė, J. Jarusevičius, E. Kadys, G. Laucius, B. Marcalis, S. Martinavičiūtė, A. Medvedevaitė, S. Okinčic, K. Platūkis, P. Riepin, D. Rimkutė, A. Selvestravičiūtė, M. Sirvydaitė, A. Šerniūtė, V. Vaicekauskas, E. Vaičiūnas, V. Vičius, S. Vilkelytė.

RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Efficiency of Private Law
• Harmonisation and unification of private law according to EU law
• Influence of EU law and European private law to the Lithuanian national civil law and civil procedure law
• Flexibility and compatibility of social security of the regulation of labour law
• Civil law
• Civil procedure
• Labour law
• Social security law
• Roman private law
• Arbitration
• Employment contract
• Labour disputes
• Collective agreement
• Competition law
• Corporate law
• Law on Torts
• Intellectual property law
• Enforcement and bankruptcy in civil procedure
• Family law
• Public procurement law
• International private law
• International and EU civil law
• International and EU civil procedure
• International and EU labour law
• International and EU social security law

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2023
Projects Supported by the University Budget
Effective Operation of Private and Procedural Law under Extraordinary Social, Political and Economic Conditions (2022–2024). Heads - Prof. Dr T. Davulis [until 2023-03-29], Assoc. Prof. Dr V. Petrylaitė [since 2023-03-29].
Research on the execution and regulation of the legal regulations of new business forms and possibilities to digitalize them, problems of national and EU legal acts on civil law, civil process and analysis of labor law and jurisprudence of national and international courts, and, also, the new tendencies of legal regulation of private law in the digitalization era was developed and academically motivated recommendations and publications were prepared.

Digital Technologies in the Process of Execution of Court Decisions: An Analysis of Prototypical Models. (2023-04–2024-12). Project manager - Dr N. Gaubienė. The project is funded by the VU Science Promotion Fund.
The aim of this project is to examine how modern digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchains, big data and other digital technologies can improve the process of enforcing court decisions. The goal of the project is based on the fact that with the rapid development of digital technologies, traditional methods of enforcing court decisions have become less effective in overcoming new challenges, such as recovery procedures from digital assets. The project will aim to explore how artificial intelligence can be used to solve the issue of tracing debtors' assets, how digital technologies such as blockchains can help ensure data protection and the decision enforcement process.

National research projects
Publishing of Vilnius University Research Papers Journal Teisė (Law) (1.78 Mr) SU-196, vol. 122-125 (2022-02–2024). Project manager - Prof. Dr T. Davulis, team - Prof. Habil. Dr G. Švedas, Prof. Dr J. Machovenko.
The aim of the project is to present and disseminate the best doctrinal achievements in the field of the science of law in Lithuania and the results of national scientific research.

Model of the Interaction of Labor Market and Social Support Policies and Development of Methodologies for Its Implementation (2021-11–2023-12). Project manager – Prof. Dr R. Remeikienė (since 2023-09-01), team – Prof. Dr R. Lazutka, Prof. Dr L. Gasparėnienė, Prof. Dr B. Gruževskis, Dr S. Krutulienė. Call by the Research Council of Lithuania “Scientific research carried out by high- level research groups aimed at creating results corresponding to topics of R&D activity relevant to economic sectors, which could later be commercialized”.
The aim of the Project is to carry out a research into the relationship between labour demand and supply during the period of the COVID-19 crisis in terms of the employment and social support policy measures. The Project also aims at developing methodologies and administrative mechanisms for the implementation of the above-mentioned measures to work with recipients of the unemployed social benefit in Lithuania, providing recommendations on improving the Social Support Registry Data System (SPISS), and developing a vacancy registration and employment platform for employers' associations, thus ensuring a higher compatibility of the labour force demand and supply both during the pandemic and the post-pandemic period.
Main publications:
1. Gasparėnienė, L.; Remeikienė, R. Study of social benefits to the unemployed recipients in the general context of unemployment and social support: the case of Lithuania // Proceedings of the International Conference on Applied Economics: Economics / edited by Adam P. Balcerzak, Ilona Pietryka. Olsztyn : Institute of Economic Research, 2023. ISBN 9788365605665. ISSN 2544-2384. p. 52-58. (Contemporary issues in economy, eISSN 2544-2384 ; vol. 12). DOI: 10.24136/eep.proc.2023.1.
2. Remeikienė, R. Assessment of the EU Labour Market During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Published by Centre of Sociological Research, NGO in Montenegrin Journal of Economics. Vol. 19 (4). https://doi.org/10.14254/1800-5845/2023.19-4.9

Protecting Work and Income in the Digital Economy: a Case Study of Platform Workers (2022-04–2024-12). Project manager - Prof. Dr L. Gasparėnienė (since 2023-10-01), team – Prof. Dr R. Remeikienė, Prof. Dr R. Lazutka, Dr A. Paliukėnas, Dr N. Česiulis. Research Group Projects are funded by the Research Council of Lithuania.
The project focuses on the work of the platform staff (also called “gig”, “online platform”, “on-call”) and exercising their social rights. The key feature of the work is absence of an employment contract which means that no laws to ensure decent work conditions and payment for work are applied, i.e. the terms regarding one’s periodic income, working time, leave are not established. Although in terms of the content of the employment relationship these employees are subordinated to the platform, the relationship is called disguised. The project is intended to complement the research of the traditional forms of employment and social security of the employees in Lithuania with the relevant component of the platform employment.

Transformation of the Execution Process in the Digital Age (2020-08–2023-08). The project manager - Prof. Habil. Dr V. Nekrošius, the project is being carried out by Dr N. Gaubienė. The postdoctoral fellowship project was funded by the Lithuanian Science Council.
The aim of the Project is to acquire and develop legal knowledge and raise scientific qualifications through interdisciplinary research involving the impact of digitization and smart technologies on enforcement of court decisions in civil proceedings.
Main publication:
1. Gaubienė, N. Digital transformation of enforcement procedures of court decisions and search for efficiency // Przeglad prawa egzekucyjnego. Sopot : Currenda Sp. z o.o. ISSN 1731-030X. 2023, no. 7, p. 7-36.

Copyright and Related Rights Law Commentary (2022-09–2024-01). Project manager - Prof. Dr R. Birštonas, team - Prof. Dr V. Mizaras, Dr J. Liauksminaitė. The project is funded by the Lithuanian Council of Culture.
The aim of the project is to prepare a methodological tool (publication) on the basis of a scientific study – Copyright and Related Rights Law Commentary.
Main publication:
1. Birštonas, R. Risks to employees’ intellectual property rights posed by artificial intelligence // Juridiskā zinātne = Journal of the University of Latvia. Law. Rīga : Latvijas Universitāte. ISSN 1691-7677. eISSN 2592-9364. 2023, no. 16, p. 49-59. DOI: 10.22364/jull.16.03

The Issue of the Recovery from Digital Assets in the Execution Process (2023-10–2024-04). Supervisor - Dr K. Pranevičienė, student - M. Sazdevičius. Research Council‘s of Lithuania funding for students research projects.
The aim of the Project is to identify today's relevant problematic aspects related to the recovery of digital assets and name the regulatory perspectives of these aspects offered to the lawmaker, present a critical approach regarding their necessity. The objectives of the research are achieved through specific tasks: firstly, the very concept of digital assets is analyzed and different types of digital assets are discussed, revealing the specifics of this asset type that are relevant to the execution process, secondly, today's challenges that complicate the execution of a decision from digital assets are specifically identified and analyzed, thirdly, they are analysed and the regulatory perspectives of these problematic aspects are evaluated and a proposal is made to the legislator.

International research projects
Protecting working conditions in the platform economy: Moldovian-Lithuanian social dialogue (2023-11-01-2025-04-30). Project manager - Prof. Dr T. Davulis, members: Dr L. Gasparėnienė, Dr R. Remeikienė, Dr A. Paliukėnas, E. Raistenskis. Horizon Europe Social Prerogative and Specific Competencies Lines.
The purpose of the project – to contribute to the promotion of social dialogue between employers and trade unions and state institutions responsible for the regulation of the platform work in the context of the cooperation between Lithuania, EU member state, and Moldova, EU candidate state. International labour and tax law experts and economists representing Lithuania will seek effective social dialogue with Moldovan partners representing the interests of platform workers (National Employment Agency, Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, Chamber of Commerce and Industry) in order to improve the social and working conditions of the platform's workers, building on the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights as well as existing instruments such as the EU Directive 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions, European Council Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and self-employed and taking into account the proposal for a directive on improving working conditions in platform work (Procedure2021/0414/COD).The results of the project study and the proposals of legal regulation on the improvement of platform working conditions will help the state institutions of the Republic of Moldova to develop and approve procedures on the principle of equal treatment, ensuring equal rights and conditions for workers in the digital economy.
Small Claims Analysis Net II – SCAN II (2022-03–2024-02). Project manager - Assoc. Prof. Dr R. Simaitis, team - Assoc. Prof. Dr V. Vėbraitė, M. Markevičiūtė (for more information see: https://www.scanproject.eu/).
The aim of the project is to collect and exchange best practices, in order to create an empirically rich resource to illuminate national and European policy and legislative debates 5 on the strengthening and harmonization of Small Claims procedures, by conducting field studies and by reinforcing the links between European practitioners in the civil domain.

Conflict Resolution with Equitative Algorithms 2 – CREA2 (2022-06–2024-05). Project manager - Assoc. Prof. Dr R. Simaitis, team - Dr M. Markevičiūtė, M. Žukauskaitė-Tatorė.
The project aims to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven tools to assist natural and legal persons in resolving their disputes through the application of innovative game-theoretical (GT) algorithms.

OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prof. Habil. Dr Mikelėnas, V.
• Advisory board member of journal “European Review of Private Law”, https://kluwerlawonline.com/Journals/European+Review+of+Private+Law/589;
• Editor-in-chief (compiler) of journal “Arbitražas. Teorija ir Praktika”, http://www.arbitrazas.lt/isleistasmetrastisarbitrazasteorija-ir-praktika74518-1-357.html;
• Ordinary member of the International Association of Procedural Law, https://www.iaplaw.org/index.php/en/the-association/membership/ordinary-members?start=25;
• Member of the European Law Institute, Vienna (Republic of Austria), https://www.europeanlawinstitute.eu/membership/individual-members/all/;
Prof. Habil. Dr Nekrošius, V.
• Program council member of journal “Polski Proces Cywilny”, https://www.wolterskluwer.com/pl-pl/solutions/czasopisma/polski-proces-cywilny#redakcja;
• Scientific council member of journal “Przegląd Prawa Egzekucyjnego”, https://www.currenda.pl/przeglad/;
• Program council member of journal “Rejent”, https://www.rejent.com.pl/rada.php?lang=En;
• Editorial board member of journal “VU mokslo darbai. Teisė”, https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/teise/about/editorialTeam;
• Ordinary member of the International Association of Procedural Law, https://www.iaplaw.org/index.php/en/the-association/membership/ordinary-members?start=25;
• Member of Die Vereinigung deutscher Zivilprozessrechtslehrer;
• Member of Towarzystwo Naukowe Procesualistów cywilnych,
http://tnpc.pl/o-nas/;
Prof. Dr Davulis, T.
• Editorial board member of journal “Studia Prawnicze”,
https://sil.ka.edu.pl/editorial-board/;
• Editorial board member of journal “VU mokslo darbai. Teisė”, https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/teise/about/editorialTeam;
• Editorial board member of journal “Legal studies”, http://visnyk.law.knu.ua/en/chleny;
• Editorial board member of journal “National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine”, http://visnyk.kh.ua/en/editorial-board;
• Editorial board member of journal “Law and Innovation Society”, https://apir.org.ua/index.php/lais/about/editorialTeam;
• Foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NAS), http://www.nas.gov.ua/EN/Members/Pages/ForeignMembers.aspx;
• Member of European Network of Legal Experts in Gender Equality and Non-discrimination, https://www.equalitylaw.eu/country/lithuania;
• Member of The European Labour Law Network, http://www.elln.eu/study.html;
• Member of International Society for Labour Law and Social Security, https://islssl.org/members/;
• General assembly representative of NOHA, https://www.nohanet.org/faculty;
• Director from abroad of the Global Campus of Human Rights, https://gchumanrights.org/education/regional-programmes/ema/about-ema/partner-universities.html;
Prof. Dr Mizaras, V.
• Editorial board member of journal “Queen Marry Journal of Intellectual Property Law”,
https://www.elgaronline.com/view/journals/qmjip/qmjip-overview.xml?tab_body=editorial-info-copy1;
• Editorial board member of journal “VU mokslo darbai. Teisė”, https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/teise/about/editorialTeam;
• Peer reviewer of journal “International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law (IIC)”;
• Representative from Lithuania at International Academy of Comparative Law;
• Member of International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research in Intellectual Property (ATRIP), http://atrip.org/membership/members/.
Prof. Dr Petrylaitė, D.
• Academic board member of journal “European Employment Law Cases (EELC)”, https://www.eelc-online.com/pagina/academic-board?skip_boomportal_auth=1;
• Editorial board member of journal “E-Journal of International and Comparative Studies”, https://ejcls.adapt.it/index.php/ejcls_adapt/about/editorialTeam;
• Editorial board member of journal “Studia z zakresu prawa pracy i polityki społecznej”, https://www.ejournals.eu/sppips/menu/775/;
• Member of Comparative Civil Service Network, https://ccsn.uni-nke.hu/;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Bagdanskis, T.
• Head of the working law group of the Trans-European Law Firms Alliance (TELFA), https://www.telfa.law/lithuania/;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Bublienė, D.
• Member of the European Law Institute, Vienna (Republic of Austria), https://www.europeanlawinstitute.eu/membership/individual-members/all/;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Miliauskas, P.
• Editorial board member of journal “Athens journal of Law”, https://www.athensjournals.gr/ajl/eb;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Petrylaitė, V.
• National correspondent of journal “European Employment Law Cases (EELC)”,
https://www.eelc-online.com/pagina/national-correspondents?skip_boomportal_auth=1;
• Expert of the EU Network of Legal Experts on Social Security Coordination and Free Movement of Workers.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Simaitis, R.
• Member of Working Group on Cyberjustice and Artificial Intelligence (CEPEJ-GT-CYBERJUST) of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice of the Council of Europe,
https://rm.coe.int/composition-cepej-gt-cyberjust-for-2022-2023/1680a54130;
• Member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).
Assoc. Prof. Dr Vėbraitė, V.
• Editorial board member of journal “Access to Justice in Eastern Europe”, https://ajee-journal.com/about;
• Member of Wissenschaftliche Vereinigung für Internationales Verfahrensrecht.
Prof. Prac. Bartkus, G.
• Arbitrator of International Centre for Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID),
https://icsid.worldbank.org/en/Pages/about/Database-of-Panel-Members.aspx#a7;
• Member of Drafting group of the European Model Business Company Act (EMCA), https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2929348;
• Member of The European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI), https://www.ecgi.global/users/gintautas-bartkus;
• Lithuanian national board member of European Company Case Law (ECCL).

BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD
1. Dr Bartkus, J. “The admissibility of evidence in international commercial arbitration”. In the Guest Forum: International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law, Luxembourg, February 9, 2023.
2. Dr Bartkus, J., Drakšas, J. Workshop “Legal rules versus judicial discretion. Rule of law as a law of rules or as a law of judges?”. In Summer School: Civil Society under the Rule of Law, Reflections on European values, Cannes, France, June 28, 2023.
3. Korchanin, D., Riepin, P. “Artificial Intelligence (AI). Implications and sustainability values”. In Summer School: Civil society under the rule of law, reflections on European values, Cannes, France, June 28, 2023.
4. Prof. Dr Petrylaitė, D. “Constitution of 3 May 1791: historical tradition of the rule of law principle”. In conference: OSCE support to Ukrainian Constitutionalism: what can be built on the legacy of the Constitution of 3 May 1791? Hofburg, Vienna, May 3, 2023.
5. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vėbraitė, V. “Challenges to legal education in Lithuania: between modernisation and traditional ideas”. In conference: Nanterre Network meeting, Brno, Czech Republic, June 2, 2023. [http://nanterre.law.muni.cz/content/en/programme/]
6. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vėbraitė, V. “Efficiency of mandatory mediation in Lithuania”. In international seminar: The role of mediation resolving legal disputes, Szczecin, Poland, June 13, 2023.

MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECEIVED FOR R&D ACTIVITIES
1. Assoc. Prof. Dr Simaitis, R. Ministry of Justice Award for Merits in the Field of Human Rights – 2023.
2. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vėbraitė, V. Ministry of Justice Award for Merits in the Field of Human Rights – 2023.

MOST IMPORTANT PARTICIPATION CASES OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANISATIONS, AND BUSINESS ENTITIES
Prof. Habil. Dr Mikelėnas, V.
• Member of the Committee for the Supervision of the Civil Code, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/470a7520354611e78397ae072f58c508
Prof. Habil. Dr Nekrošius, V.
• Chairmen of the Humanitarian and Social Sciences Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
https://www.lma.lt/struktura
• Member of the Bar Examination Board, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/b5418de0a2d811ebb458f88c56e2040c?jfwid=8m7ncsdm3
• Member of Lithuanian Lawyers' Association
http://ltdraugija.lt/?page_id=214
• Member of the Committee on monitoring of problems realted to implementation of the Civil Procedure Code, Ministry of Justice of Republic of Lithuania
1R-124 Dėl teisingumo ministro 2013 m. vasario 21 d. įsakymo Nr. 1R-55 „Dėl Lietuvos Respublikos civilin... (e-tar.lt)
Prof. Dr Davulis, T.
• Board member, chairman of the Government Strategic Analysis Center (STRATA)
https://strata.gov.lt/naujienos/strata-valdybos-pirmininku-isrinktas-teisininkas-tomas-davulis/
• Member of Lithuanian Lawyers' Association
http://ltdraugija.lt/?page_id=214
• Member of the Award Jury, Council of the Judiciary
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/c0e78ca29c3911e9aab6d8dd69c6da66?jfwid=-pfb3w0wuh
Prof. Dr Mizaras, V.
• Member of the Committee for the Supervision of the Civil Code, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/470a7520354611e78397ae072f58c508
Prof. Dr Birštonas, R.
• Chairman of the Committee of the Lithuanian Copyright and Related Rights, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/legalAct.htmldocumentId=43c3e6b0008011ee9978886e85107ab2
• Member of the Committee for the Supervision of the Civil Code, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/470a7520354611e78397ae072f58c508
Prof. Prac. Dr Driukas, A.
• Member of the Judicial Mediation Commission, Council of the Judiciary
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/e563c970f79511e880d0fe0db08fac89
• Member of the Committee on monitoring of problems realted to implementation of the Civil Procedure Code, Ministry of Justice of Republic of Lithuania
1R-124 Dėl teisingumo ministro 2013 m. vasario 21 d. įsakymo Nr. 1R-55 „Dėl Lietuvos Respublikos civilin... (e-tar.lt)
Prof. Prac.. Dr Taminskas, A.
• Members of the Committee for the Supervision of the Civil Code, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/470a7520354611e78397ae072f58c508
Prof. Prac. Dr Bitinas, A.
• Member of Tax Committee of the Lithuanian Bar Association
https://www.advokatura.lt/komitetai/
Assoc. Prof. Dr Simaitis, R.
• Chairman of the Mediators‘ Qualification Examination Commission, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/73a52cd0e5a611ed9978886e85107ab2
• Member of the Committee on monitoring of problems realted to implementation of the Civil Procedure Code, Ministry of Justice of Republic of Lithuania
1R-124 Dėl teisingumo ministro 2013 m. vasario 21 d. įsakymo Nr. 1R-55 „Dėl Lietuvos Respublikos civilin... (e-tar.lt)
Assoc. Prof. Dr Vėbraitė, V.
• Member of the Judicial Mediation Commission, Council of the Judiciary
https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/e563c970f79511e880d0fe0db08fac89
• Member of Lithuanian Lawyers' Association
http://ltdraugija.lt/?page_id=214
• Member of the Committee on monitoring of problems realted to implementation of the Civil Procedure Code, Ministry of Justice of Republic of Lithuania
1R-124 Dėl teisingumo ministro 2013 m. vasario 21 d. įsakymo Nr. 1R-55 „Dėl Lietuvos Respublikos civilin... (e-tar.lt)
Assoc. Prof. Prac. Bartkus, G.
• Founder and member of the Council of the Human Rights Monitoring Institute, https://hrmi.lt/
• Chairman of the Audit Commission of the Vilnius Chamber of Industry, Commerce and Crafts https://www.cci.lt/
• Member of the Council of the Lithuanian Free Market Institute
https://www.llri.lt/apie-mus/taryba
• Member of the Board of Advisors of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania.

CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY THE UNIT TO THE PUBLIC OR ECONOMIC ENTITIES
1. Assoc. Prof. Prac. Bartkus, G. Legal conclusion for the Committee on Health Affairs of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania “On the Impact Assessment of Legal Regulation”, 2023-10-25.

MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
1. Assoc. Prof. Prac. Bartkus, G. Talk in LRT radio “Svarbi valanda“ about the Airports' appeal to the National Security Commission, 2023-04-13.
2. Dr Bartkus, J., Drakšas, J. Science popularisation article “Teisės taisyklės prieš teismų diskreciją: teisės viršenybė kaip teisės taisyklių ar kaip teismų teisės viršenybė?”, 2023-08-07.
3. Dr Gaubienė, N. Science popularisation article “Modernus vykdymo procesas = sėkmingai apgintos teisės”, 2023-06-30.
4. Kadys, E. Article in LRT “Kokios teisinės pasekmės nutraukiant santuoką atsiranda sutuoktiniui fiziškai smurtavusiam santuokos metu?”, 2023-04-07.
5. Prof. Habil. Dr Nekrošius, V. Interview in “Žinių radijas” on election results in Poland, 2023-10-16.
6. Assoc. Prof. Dr Petrylaitė, V. Talk in LRT radio “Specialūs laisvadieniai savišvietai – ne tik studentams: jų prašyti gali kiekvienas darbuotojas, nepaisant amžiaus ar stažo”, 2023-04-06.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC LAW

9 Saulėtekio Ave., Building 1, LT-10222 Vilnius
Tel. +370 5 236 6175
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Bronius Sudavičius

STAFF
Professors: Dr J. Machovenko, Dr J. Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, Dr B. Sudavičius, Dr E. Šileikis, Dr S. Žalimienė.
Professors of Practice: Dr L. Meškauskaitė, Dr J. Galginaitis, Dr G. Užubalis.
Associate Professors: Dr H. Šinkūnas, Dr V. Vaičaitis, Dr J. Gumbis, Dr G. Lastauskienė, Dr I. Žvaigždinienė, Dr I. Isokaitė-Valužė, Dr V. Milašiūtė, Dr M. Endrijaitis, Dr D. Murauskas, Dr D. Pūraitė-Andrikienė, Dr D. Valančienė, Dr A. Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, Dr D. Prapiestytė.
Associate Professor of Practice: D. Kriaučiūnas.
Assistants: Dr R. Bakševičienė, Dr L. Paškevičienė, Dr J. Baltrimas, Dr E. Masnevaitė.
Lecturers: Dr G. Grigaitė-Daugirdė, Dr L. Butkevičius, Dr G. Surblytė-Namavičienė, Dr I. Martinkutė, Dr L. Balčiūnas, Dr P. Gruodis, Dr L. Griškevič, Dr A. Gedmintaitė, Dr M. Ambrasaitė-Valentinavičienė, Dr U. Gailiūnienė, Dr R. Latvelė, Dr E. Leonaitė, L. Urbaitė.
Junior Assistants: L. Martinaitytė, M. Borusevičiūtė.
Doctoral students: P. Ambrasaitė, P. Bareika, S. Bareikytė, G. Keturkaitė-Dirvonė, D. Korchahin, K. Krutulytė, D. Kubiliūtė, T. Lukošius, J. Narkevičiūtė, K. Povylius, V. Riševičiūtė, A. Rudinskas, E. Ruzgytė-Dargienė, A. Smagurauskaitė, S. Stonkus, G. Strikaitė-Latušinskaja, M. Šukytė, V. Turonis.

RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Lithuanian Legal Tradition and Dynamics of Conception of Law
• Theory of law
• Theory of state
• History of law
• History of state
• Legal sociology
• Legal philosophy
• Constitutionalization
• Constitutional justice
• Constitutional principles
• Parliamentarism, Ombudsmen
• Administrative courts
• Principles of public administration
• Ecological responsibility
• Problems of the taxes’ administration
• Public international law
• Diplomatic and consular law
• EU law
• EU institutional law
• Humanitarian law
• EU substantial law
• NATO and its legal framework
• NGO and its legal framework
• Comparative law of modern legal systems
• Law of refugees
• Private international law
• Legal informatics in global and EU context
• Law of international organizations
• History of international relations
• Law of treaties
• EU constitutional law
• Case law of the European Union Court of Justice
• Human Rights in Europe and EU
• Law of the sea
• International trade law

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2023
Projects Supported by the University Budget
Issues of Democracy, the Rule of Law and Human Rights in the Context of Modern Technology, Sustainable Development and Geopolitical-legal Challenges (2022–2024). Head - Prof. Dr B. Sudavičius.
Research on theoretical and practical constitutional and democratic issues of the history of law of Lithuanian Republic, challenges that the rule of law, courts and law enforcement authorities and also, human rights encounter in the digital age was developed and academically motivated recommendations and publications were prepared.

A Legal and Social Study of Institutions That Limit or Demolish Legal Capacity (“The VANITIS study”) (2023-04–2024-12). Supervisor – Dr R. Genienė (FsF), PhD student – K. Krutulytė. The project is funded by the VU Science Promotion Fund.
The aim of the study is to investigate the current system of restriction of legal capacity in Lithuania and to propose alternatives to ensuring legal capacity. Objectives: 1. to highlight the role of the justice and social security sectors (in terms of equivalence) in the system of (dis)limitation of capacity. 2. to analyse, in cooperation with the Latvian social partners, how the justice and social security systems interact with each other to ensure legal capacity of people with disabilities. 3.Through qualitative research, to analyse the ways in which the justice and social security systems can contribute to the integrated functioning of the justice and social protection systems in the design, organisation and delivery of services to ensure the legal capacity of persons with disabilities. The relevance of the topic is also based on the fact that there have been no major changes in the system of limitation of legal capacity since the Civil Code of 1961 (except for minor changes in 2015 and 2019). The results of the study will contribute to the development of a model for the implementation of the disqualification measures.

Restrictions on Economic Freedom in Line with the Principles of the Green Economy (2021-07–2023-06). Project manager is Prof. Dr (HP) E. Kūris, the project is being carried out by Dr A. Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė. The postdoctoral fellowship project is funded by the Lithuanian Science Council.
The aim and expected result of the project is carrying out a systematic investigation into the possibilities of restricting the freedom of economic activity of a person enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, taking into account the principles of the green economy formed by the EU and analyzing them from the interdisciplinary, comparative, economic and legal point of view (i.e., to identify the problematic aspects and provide recommendations on the application of possible measures that can ensure the equilibrium between the values under analysis).
Main publications:
1. Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, A. Bridging between an effective economy and environmental protection under the Lithuanian constitution // Review of Central and East European law: Special Issue: Thirty Years of the Constitution of Lithuania / edited by E. Kūris and D. Pūraitė-Andrikienė. Leiden : Brill. ISSN 0925-9880. eISSN 1573-0352. 2023, vol. 48, iss. 2, p. 217-240. DOI: 10.1163/15730352-bja10082.
2. Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, A. Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucinio Teismo jurisprudencijos įtaka žaliosios ekonomikos įgyvendinimui Lietuvoje // Konstitucinė justicija Lietuvoje: trys veiklos dešimtmečiai: recenzuotų mokslinių straipsnių rinkinys. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2023. ISBN 9786090710036. eISBN 9786090710043. p. 154-171. (Vilnius University Open Series, eISSN 2669-0535). DOI: 10.15388/KJL.2023.7.
3. Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, A. The jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania related to freedom of economic activity // Право України. Київ : Юридичне видавництво “Право України”. ISSN 1026-9932. eISSN 2310-323X. 2023, № 7, p. 93-107.
4. Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, A. Žaliosios ekonomikos iššūkiai Europos žmogaus teisių konvencijai ir Europos Sąjungos pagrindinių teisių chartijai = Challenges of the green economy to the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union // Teisė. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla. ISSN 1392-1274. eISSN 2424-6050. 2023, vol. 128, p. 41-61. DOI: 10.15388/Teise.2023.128.3

Challenges of Ensuring Basic Standards of Human Rights and Freedoms Enshrined in International and EU Documents in the Field of Migration in the Presence of a Large Flow of Migrants. Supervisor - Prof. Dr S. Žalimienė, PhD student - V. Riševičiūtė. LMT supported state –financed doctoral studies.
The proposed doctoral research investigates the European Union's legal response to migration crises, focusing on whether existing regulations, rooted in rule of law, democracy, and human rights, are suited for both naturally occurring and artificially induced crises. Key objectives include defining these crises, retrospectively analyzing legal responses, assessing the need for differentiated approaches, and evaluating the potential for adapting EU regulations. The study aims to contribute insights into maintaining legal integrity while addressing migration challenges, especially those manipulated for political and economic ends.

“Quasi-impeachment” Procedure in Lithuanian Local Government (2022–2023). Supervisor - Prof. Dr J. Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, student – R. Urbanavičius. The project is sponsored by the Research Council of Lithuania.
The research aims at examining the issue of the legal peculiarities in a case of quasi-impeachment concerning a local municipality on the basis of the jurisprudence of the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania, where the key request is to make a conclusion whether a member of the municipal council or the mayor has possibly broken the oath. Besides, the research aims at examining in detail all 14 appeals to the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania in order to reveal the institutional and procedural aspects of the implementation of quasi-impeachment in local municipalities that are debatable in court practice, and assessing whether appealing to the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania, especially in cases of this category, implements the public interest or addresses certain political or other issues.

International research projects
HI-PRIX Health Innovation Next Generation Payment & Pricing Models, HORIZON-HLTH-2022-IND-13 (2023-01-01-2025-12-31). Project manager - Dr L. Murauskienė, members – Assoc. Prof. Dr Murauskas, Dr A. Beržanskytė, Dr M. Jakubauskienė, B. Erasti (for more information see: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101095593).
The HI-PRIX project aims at accelerating access to high-quality, affordable health innovation by fostering the adoption of new pricing and payment models to address the challenges posed by high-priced health technologies, in an effort to ultimately balance sustainability of health innovation with sustainability of healthcare systems. Goals of the project: Defining financing models that address health needs in an efficient and equitable way. 2. Identifying the key determinants of resilience of health care systems in order to improve the ability to face extreme events, as well as long-term structural changes. 3. Providing guidance on how better integration of health care services could enhance effectiveness and efficiency of health care provision. 4. Contributing to a better understanding of existing incentives and to development of new ones. More information about the project: https://hiprixhorizon.eu/about-us.

Global Digital Human Rights Network (COST GDHRNet) (CA19143) (2020-2024). Assoc. Prof. Dr V. Milašiūtė – Management committee member, Action Vice Chair
(for more information see: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA19143/; https://gdhrnet.eu/). Participants ad hoc: Prof. Dr S. Žalimienė, Dr J. Baltrimas, S. Stonkus.
This COST Action explores theoretical and practical challenges posed by the online context to the protection of human rights. It examines the role of national governments and private online companies. It attempts to find out whether private Internet companies provide comparable protection of human rights online in comparison with judicial institutions. It also examines the potential role of artificial intelligence. The main objective is to propose a comprehensive system of human rights protection online in the form of policy suggestions for private assessment of online content.

Constitutional Consciousness as a Remedy for the Crisis of Discourse and Democratic Deficit in the European Union (ConReDe) (2019–2023). Project manager – Prof. Dr S. Žalimienė, team - Prof. Dr J. Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, Prof. Dr R. Ragulskytė-Markovienė, P. Griciūnas. Lithuanian-Polish Call “Daina”, administered of the Research Council of Lithuania.
The aim of the project is to carry out the scientific research in order to evaluate whether the increasing citizens’ constitutional consciousness – as the main basis of constitutional patriotism – may create an alternative for creating a European identity. The task requires answering the following questions: 1) whether the constitutional consciousness covers solely positivistic constitutional principles or it may also cover dynamic legal interpretation that serves the social integration of certain values; 2) whether it is practically possible to strengthen the citizens’ sense of empowerment by increasing their participation in democratic institutions and by undertaking activities in order to base the constitutional consciousness not only on written rules and principles, but also on values that may be considered universal; 3) whether the constitutional patriotism may be transferred from a national to the European (Union) level.
Main publications:
1. Constitutional consciousness: in search of a remedy for the crisis of discourse and democracy deficit in the European Union / Edited by S. Žalimienė, Bartosz Wojciechowski. Berlin : Peter Lang, 2023. ISBN 9783631895566. (Dia-Logos ; vol. 31). DOI: 10.3726/b21009;
2. Wojciechowski, B., Žalimienė S.Ο ρόλος της δημοκρατικής σκέψης στην διαμόρφωση της νομικής επίγνωσης και νομικής αναγνώρισης (The role of democratic thinking in the formation of legal awareness and legal recognition). Intellectum, Intellectum interdisciplinary Journal. No17. 2023. p. 12- 28. ISSN 1790-8426.

TransAdmLaw - International Research Project on Transnational Administrative Act in the Jurisprudence of National Administrative Courts
The Project was carried out by Prof. Dr J.Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, Dr D. Prapiestytė (for more information see: Transnational Administrative Law Network – Réseau de droit administratif transnational (transadmlaw.org))
The Transnational Administrative Law Network (Réseau du Droit Administratif Transnational) is a bilingual (French/English) international research network. For a number of years, it has been fostering academic activities investigating the legal issues arising from the so-called “transnational administrative situations”, i.e. administrative situations where two or more legal systems interact with each other. These situations have considerably increased quantitatively over the past fifty years as a consequence of the increasing circulation of people, goods, services and capital across jurisdictions all over the world. These situations also have become extremely complex and challenging for the individuals who face the issues arising from such transnational administrative situations.

EU Environmental Principles and Scientific Uncertainty before National Courts – the Case of the Habitats Directive (together with the University of Helsinki (Finland), Maastricht University (the Netherlands), and European University Institute (Italy))(2020–2023)
The Project was carried out by Prof. Dr J.Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, Assoc. Prof. Dr I. Žvaigždinienė
This comparative project explores the dynamics of how courts across Europe and beyond understand and analyse scientific information on conservation of nature. The Habitats and the Birds Directives - the core of EU nature conservation law - are usually seen as the most uniform parts of EU environmental law. This project analyses the case law from 11 courts of current and former EU Member States and explores the dynamics of how and why they arrive at a different understanding of scientific uncertainty on the one hand, and EU environmental principles on the other hand.
The scope and depth of the review carried out by courts, access to scientific knowledge, and scientific literacy influence such decisions as does their interpretation of norms and principles. How have the courts evaluated scientific evidence encompassing its essential uncertainties? This project provides an answer to this question as well as to many other questions pertinent to EU environmental law, comparative environmental law, administrative law, and STS studies.
In Lithuania, administrative courts are the ones that cover the legality review of administrative decisions, including those in the field of environmental protection. In carrying out the review of these decisions, a proper balance between the discretion of public administrative authorities and the discretion of review granted to the courts has to be ensured. The project analyses the scope and intensity of judicial review conducted by Lithuanian administrative courts (including the aspects such as the limited control of administrative discretion, the active role of a judge in the evidence gathering phase as well as the role and position of expert witnesses) and unfolds the issue of scientific uncertainty in the environmental case law.
Main publication:
1. Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, J.; Žvaigždinienė, I. The boundaries of administrative judicial review in Lithuania Natura 2000 cases // EU enviromental principles and scientific uncertainty before national courts: the case of the habitats directive / edited by: Mariolina Eliantonio, Emma Lees, Tiina Paloniitty. Oxford : Hart Publishing, 2023. ISBN 9781509948192. eISBN 9781509948208. p. 79-95.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
ARQUS European University Alliance
University of Graz (Austria)
The University of Bergen (Norway)
European Law Institute, Vienna (Austria)
Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, Munich (Germany)
Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, Heidelberg, Germany
The British Institute of International and Comparative Law, London (United Kingdom)
University of Szczecin, Szczecin (Poland)
University of Warsaw, Warsaw (Poland)
The German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer (Germany)
The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights, Vienna (Austria)
Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Lodz (Poland)
The Association of European Administrative Judges (AEAJ)
The Transnational Administrative Law Network
Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University, Krakow (Poland)
University of Rzeszów (Poland)
University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (Poland)

OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prof. Dr Machovenko, J.
• Executive secretary of journal “VU mokslo darbai. Teisė”, http://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/teise;
• Editorial board member of journal “Studia z dziejów Państwa i prawa polskiego”, http://szd.ka.edu.pl;
• Editorial board member of the journal “Конституційно-правові академічні студії = Constitutional and Legal Academic Studies”, http://konstlegalstudies.com.ua/en/editorial-board.
Prof. Dr Sudavičius, B.
• Editorial board member of journal “Central and Eastern European Legal Studies”,
https://eplopublications.eu/page/boards;
• Member of the program council of the International Center of Public Finance and Tax Law Research, https://www.centeroffinance.org/program-council;
• Editorial board member of journal “Law Enforcement Review”,
https://enforcement.omsu.ru/jour/pages/view/EditorialC;
• Scientific council member at the European Public Law Organization, https://www1.eplo.int/council.
Prof. Dr Šileikis, E.
• Editorial board member of journal “VU mokslo darbai. Teisė”, http://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/index.php/teise;
Prof. Dr Paužaitė–Kulvinskienė, J.
• Editorial board member of journal “Studia Administracyjne”, https://wnus.edu.pl/sa/en/page/1509321213;
• Member of the Association of European Administrative Judges (AEAJ);
• Member of Transnational Administrative Law Network, https://transadmlaw.org/members/;
• Member of Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD);
• Member of the Lithuanian-German Forum.
Prof. Dr Žalimienė, S.
• Editorial board member of journal “Administracinė jurisprudencija”, https://www.lvat.lt/data/public/uploads/2018/01/d1_biuletenis_30.pdf;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Milašiūtė, V.
• Vice chair of Global Digital Human Rights Network, https://gdhrnet.eu/
• Conciliator at OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration,
https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/c/0/25460_25.pdf
Assoc. Prof. Dr Šinkūnas, H.
• Editorial board member of journal “Studia Wyborcze”, https://journals.ltn.lodz.pl/Studia-Wyborcze/about/editorialTeam;
• Member of the scientific council of journal “Jurysprudencja”.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Vaičaitis, V.
• Expert peer reviewer of journal “Latvijas Universitātes žurnāls Juridiskā zinātne”;
• Editorial board member of journal “Gubernaculum et Administratio”, https://czasopisma.ujd.edu.pl/index.php/GeT/RN;
• Scientific expert of journal “Acta Juris Stetinensis”;
• Editorial board member of journal “Logos”, http://www.litlogos.eu/board_l.html;
• Member of the International Association for Constitutional Law (IACL-AIDS);
• Member of the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies;
• Full member of the European Charter of local self-government (GIE), https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/gie.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Žvaigždinienė, I.
• Editorial board member of journal “Studia Administracyjne”, https://wnus.edu.pl/sa/en/page/1509321213;
• Member of the Association of European Administrative Judges (AEAJ), https://www.aeaj.org/page/Board-Members;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Endrijaitis, M.
• Member of Tax Administration EU Summit – TADEUS,
https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/taxation-1/tax-co-operation-and-control/tax-administration-eu-summit-tadeus_en
Assoc. Prof. Dr Lastauskienė, G.
• Editorial board member of journal “Parlamento studijos”, https://journals.lnb.lt/parliamentary-studies/about/editorialTeam;
Assoc. Prof. Dr Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, A.
• Editorial board member of journal “Przegląd Prawa Konstytucyjnego”, http://marszalek.com.pl/przegladprawakonstytucyjnego/main.html;
• Editorial board member of journal “De lege ferenda. Przegląd Instytutu Legislacji i Prac Parlamentarnych”,
https://www.adwokatura.pl/instytut-legislacji-i-prac-parlamentarnych-nra/o-nas/o-nas/;
• Editorial board member of journal “Gubernaculum et Administratio”, https://czasopisma.ujd.edu.pl/index.php/GeT/index;

BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD
1. Assoc. Prof. Dr Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, A. “Constitutional challenges to climate change”. In the Global Summit on Constitutionalism, Texas, USA, March 3, 2023.
2. Assoc. Prof. Dr Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, A. “The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania as an independent human rights protection institution (30 years of activities)”. In Bratislava Legal Forum 2023, Bratislava, Slovakia, September 12, 2023.
3. Assoc. Prof. Dr Murauskas, D. “Climate justice in human rights tribunals: establishing extraterritorial jurisdiction”. In conference: 15th CEE Forum of Young Legal, Political and Social Theorists, Krakow, Poland, September 14-15, 2023. [https://futurelawlab.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/cee-forum-program-.pdf]
4. Assoc. Prof. Dr Milašiūtė, V. “ECHR as a constitutional instrument of European public order and a possibility of European constitutional human rights consciousness”. In conference: III Luso-Polish Conference on Legal Theory and Legal Methodology Constitutional Consciousness and the Autonomy of Law, Portugal, Coimbra, May 2-3, 2023. [https://www.uc.pt/site/assets/files/1050441/iii_luso-polish_programa_corrigido-1.pdf]
5. Assoc. Prof. Dr Milašiūtė, V. “The use of AI in courts and its possible impact on the right to fair trial”. In conference: Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence, Global Digital Human Rights Network (COST), Kuressaare, Estonia, July 8, 2023. [https://gdhrnet.eu/latest-news-and-announcements/training-school-on-human-rights-and-artificial-intelligence/]
6. Prof. Dr Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, J. “Jurisprudence regarding the definition of violation and sanction in the administrative law: contextually, in the juridical interpretation”. In conference: III Luso-Polish Conference on Legal Theory and Legal Methodology Constitutional Consciousness and the Autonomy of Law, Portugal, Coimbra, May 2-3, 2023. https://www.uc.pt/site/assets/files/1050441/iii_luso-polish_programa_corrigido-1.pdf
7. Prof. Dr Žalimienė, S. “Fundamental rights of the European Union in Lithuania”. In conference: III Luso-Polish Conference on Legal Theory and Legal Methodology Constitutional Consciousness and the Autonomy of Law, Portugal, Coimbra, May 2-3, 2023. https://www.uc.pt/site/assets/files/1050441/iii_luso-polish_programa_corrigido-1.pdf
8. Assoc. Prof. Dr Žvaigždinienė I. “The role of Administrative Judge in protecting the public interest”. In conference: The Role of the Administrative Judge in the State, Thessaloniki, Greece, March 2-3, 2023.

MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECEIVED FOR R&D ACTIVITIES
1. Dr Baltrimas, J. Received an award from Lithuanian Academy of Sciences for his research paper “Legal Argumentation in the Context of Information Technologies”. This research paper analyzes the evaluation criteria used by the courts in disputes related to information technology innovations that have not been clearly regulated by the legislator, 2023-02-23.

MOST IMPORTANT CASES OF THE PARTICIPATION OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANISATIONS, AND BUSINESS ENTITIES
Prof. Dr Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, J.
• Member of the The Candidates’ Examination Commission under the Prosecutor’s Office
https://www.prokuraturos.lt/lt/komisijos/pretendentu-egzaminu-komisija/komisijos-sudetis/154
• Expert of the international scientific database “Lituanistika”, managed by the Research Council of Lithuania
Prof. Dr Machovenko, J.
• Expert of the international scientific database “Lituanistika”, managed by the Research Council of Lithuania

Assoc. Prof. Dr Vaičaitis, V.
• Member of the Commission of the Evaluation of Lithuanian higher education study programs
• Expert of the Lithuanian Scientific Council
Assoc. Prof. Dr Endrijaitis, M.
• Member of the Advisory Council of The State Tax Inspectorate under the Consultative Council of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania
https://www.vmi.lt/evmi/konsultacine-taryba
Assoc. Prof. Dr Šinkūnas, H.
• Member of the Permanent Judicial Performance Review Commission
https://www.teismai.lt/lt/teismu-savivalda/nuolatine-teiseju-veiklos-vertinimo-komisija/sudetis-ir-kontaktai/1740
Assoc. Prof. Dr Murauskas, D.
• Member of the Committee on Administrative Law and Proceedings, Bar Council
https://www.advokatura.lt/committees/
• Member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
https://www.lma.lt/lmaja-sudetis-ir-kontaktai-2
Assoc. Prof. Dr Pūraitė-Andrikienė, D.
• Member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
https://www.lma.lt/lmaja-sudetis-ir-kontaktai-2
• Member of the Court of Honour
https://www.antstoliurumai.lt/index.php?id=2007
Assoc. Prof. Dr Juškevičiūtė-Vilienė, A.
• Member of the Vilnius Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts (Vilnius CCIC)
• Member of the Lithuanian Bar Association
Assoc. Prof. Dr Valančienė, D.
• Member of the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Research Network
• Member of the Society for Evolutionary Analysis in Law (SEAL)
• Member of the Cambridge Neuroscience Society (CamBRAIN)

CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY THE UNIT TO THE PUBLIC OR ECONOMIC ENTITIES
1. Dr Baltrimas, J. Legal opinion for the Committee on Legal Affairs of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania “On the Draft Law No. XIVP-1479(2) Amending Article 52 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania”, 2023-05-05.
2. Prof. Dr Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, J. Legal opinion for the law firm “TGS Baltic” “On the assessment of divergent interpretations within the jurisprudence of the Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court regarding the provisions of the Republic of Lithuania's Tobacco Control Act related to the prohibition of tobacco advertising (or hidden advertising prohibition)”, 2023-02-28.
3. Prof. Dr Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, J. Legal opinion for the Lithuanian Pharmacy Association “Due the conditions for the temporary suspension of the validity of a decision of the Competition Council of the Republic of Lithuania pursuant to Article 70(1)(3) of the Law on Administrative Proceedings of the Republic of Lithuania”, 2023-01-26.
4. Assoc. Prof. Dr Pūraitė-Andrikienė, D. Legal conclusion to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania “On reducing the threshold for amending Article 12 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania through a referendum”, 2023-05-26.
5. Assoc. Prof. Dr Šinkūnas, H. Legal conclusion for the law firm “GLIMSTED Bernotas and Partners” “On the compatibility of section 32.1 of the conditions for financing projects assigned to the area managed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, approved by the order No. 1V-989 of the Minister of Internal Affairs on December 10, 2015, with the European Union and the national law measures, as well as their alignment with legislative principles”, 2023-06-05.

MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
1. Dr Baltrimas, J. Talk in LRT television program “Laba diena, Lietuva” on the grounds for deprivation of nationality, 2023-09-14.
2. Assoc. Prof. Dr Endrijaitis, M. Article in “Verslo žinios”: “Įmonė paima paskolą akcijoms įsigyti – kada palūkanos bus leidžiami atskaitymai?”, 2023-03-17.
3. Dr Grigaitė-Daugirdė, G. The Lithuanian case for an international special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, 2023-06-01.
4. Assoc. Prof. Dr Isokaitė-Valužė, I. Talk in LRT radio “Lietuvos diena” on draft laws to introduce a reversal policy, 2023-04-17.
5. Assoc. Prof. Dr Murauskas, D. Comment in LRT radio “Ryto garsai” about writing surnames, 2023-05-31.