On March 27 and 28, 2015, the conference “Will-Substitutes from a Comparative Perspective” took place in Oxford. Organized by Professor Anne Röthel and Professor Alexandra Braun (University of Oxford), 60 participants from 16 jurisdictions discussed trusts and joint tenancy, insurance and pension schemes, foundations, gifts in prospect of death and other instruments, which transfer assets in the event of death outside succession law. What will-substitutes are used for which purpose? What advantages do they offer to the transferor, e.g. with respect to procedure (avoiding probate?), taxes, or formal requirements? What is the relation between wills and will-substitutes? Do civil law jurisdictions commonly react in a different manner to will-substitutes than common law jurisdictions? Academics, notaries, lawyers and insurance agents spoke about these and other questions in a lively debate during the conference that was funded by the DFG and the British Academy. The findings of the conference will be published later this year.
Bucerius Law School was not only represented by Anne Röthel, but also by Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Reinhard Zimmermann, member of the affiliate faculty, who chaired and contributed as a lively participant to the success of the event.
