Civil Law Department

For several decades, the Department of Civil Law has been conducting scientific research on the fundamental and topical problems of all branches of civil law, in particular obligations, in particular civil liability, property law, family law, medical law, intellectual property law, insurance and European private law. 

Some professors have long cooperated with the European Centre of Tort and Insurance Law (ECTIL) in Vienna (E. Bagińska, I. Adrych-Brzezińska, P. Wyszyńska-Ślufińska). Its measurable effects are e.g. annual reports on Polish tort law (published in the Yearbook of European Tort Law) and reports in the Digest of European Tort Law project (Walter de Gruyter).

Members of the Department use the comparative law method extensively in their research, and some of their works are devoted exclusively to foreign law. They are published by European publishers (Springer-Verlag, de Gruyter Berlin, Intersentia).

Current topics of research include:

Prof Dr hab Ewa Bagińska: standarisation of non-pecuniary loss, protection of women in the Polish tort law, liability for catastrophic risks (natural disasters) medical malpractice, reproductive torts, codification of civil law in Central Europe and in Poland.

Dr Mateusz Kosmol:  Framework of Performance-Based Contracts and Quality Management

Research Overview. This research focuses on the legal evolution of public service delivery, shifting from traditional input-based models to Performance-Based Contracts (PBC). Within the field of Legal Sciences, the study examines how contractual mechanisms can be leveraged to ensure efficiency, accountability, and high-quality standards in critical public sectors.

Key Areas of Specialization

• Performance-Based Road Maintenance (PBRM): Legal analysis of long-term maintenance agreements, focusing on the allocation of risks, "service level" definitions, and the enforcement of technical standards in public road infrastructure.
• Performance-Based Contracting in Healthcare: Examination of legal instruments used to transition toward Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC), including outcome-based reimbursement models and the integration of clinical indicators into civil and administrative contracts.
• Healthcare Quality Regulation: Comprehensive study of the legal determinants of quality in healthcare systems, including patient safety regulations, accreditation standards, and the liability of healthcare providers in the context of performance metrics.
• Public Procurement and Contract Law: Evaluating the compatibility of PBCs with national and EU public procurement law, specifically regarding the objectivity of performance evaluation criteria.

Research Potential:  This research establishes a theoretical and practical framework for advancing legislative reforms and refining the legal architecture of performance-based contracts. It offers legal expertise in drafting Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and establishing robust monitoring mechanisms for public administration and healthcare entities.

Mgr Kinga Konieczna’s areas of research interests cover: civil law, civil liability, corporate personhood, corporate rights, personality rights, private international law, law applicable to non-contractual obligations, jurisdiction in cases related to violation of personality rights, immaterial harm. 

Dr Paulina Wyszyńska-Ślufińska's interests have revolved around  civil law and insurance law. In her research, she pays particular attention to tort liability both in the light of Polish civil law and foreign legal systems. Her main research topics include: 1) civil liability in sport and sports law, 2) compensation for  moral harm caused to legal persons, 3)  the issue of compensation claims in class actions (mass harm), 4) the direction of development of Polish and European case law and legislation in the context of tortious acts, 5) civil liability for damage caused by wild animals, 6) insurance interests, 7) the functioning of D&O insurance.

dr Krzysztof Czub - areas of research: intellectual property law, copyright law, industrial property law, competition law, civil law.