Jessica Viven-Wilksch

Dr Jessica Viven-Wilksch

Lecturer

Adelaide Law School

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Dr Viven-Wilksch is an academic lecturing and researching in private law. her research examines the role of morality in contract law both domestically and internationally by shedding light on the importance of good faith in contractual relationships, particularly within the construction industry. Jessica is also researching regulatory regimes, with a focus on the construction Industry. My three main areas of research are comparative contract law, construction law and comparative law.

Jessica is also interested in e-learning in legal education. She has been the e-Learning Community of Practice co facilitator at the University of Adelaide since 2018.

Jessica has a law degree from Universite Toulouse Capitole in France as well as a Diploma in Common law at the University College Dublin in Ireland. She holds two masters degrees recognised in three jurisdictions, namely, Germany, France and Australia. Her PhD in Law examined the concept of good faith in Australian Contract law and EU Contract law.

Jessica is also passionate about international private law and is, since January 2021, the Deputy Chair of the UNCITRAL National Coordination Committee for Australia.

Her research is focusing on comparing doctrines in commercial law. Her aim is study ways to provide better protection to consumers and small businesses and improve confidence in contractual parties to trading internationally. 

Using a comparative law methodology, her PhD explored the development of the legal concept of good faith in commercial dealings in both Australia and the European Union.  The research aimed at providing guidelines and recommendations for a legal instrument, should this principle be implemented in Australian Law. The significance of the project is twofold.  Firstly, it provides a renewed perspective on the debate through a local and global perspective. Indeed, it integrates the notion within current legal developments.  Secondly, it provides a pertinent analysis of successes and pitfalls in each jurisdiction.  This assessment forms the basis of proposed avenues for legal reform.

More broadly, Jessica is researching on Contract Law, EU law, Comparative Law, Private International Law and Legal Theory. 

 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2025 - ongoing Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2015 - 2024 Lecturer The University of Adelaide

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2023 Research Award Brooking Prize 2023 Society of Construction Law in Australia Australia -
    2021 Teaching Award Executive Dean Award in 21st Century Learning and Teaching Award Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics Australia -

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    French Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    Toulouse 1 Capitole University France Master de Droit International et Compare
    University of Mannheim Germany Master of Comparative Law
    Toulouse 1 Capitole University France DEUG droit
    University College Dublin Ireland Diploma in Common Law
    Flinders University of South Australia Australia PhD

  • Research Interests
    Commercial and Contract Law Comparative Law Conflict of Laws Building & Construction

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2024 Viven-Wilksch, J., & Coggins, J. (2024). Is there a compelling case for a prescribed construction code of conduct to help correct market failure in the commercial sector of the Australian construction industry?. Building and Construction Law Journal, 39, 1-11.
    2024 Williams, C., Babie, P., Viven-Wilksch, J., & Stewart, J. (2024). Private Law as Morality: A Critique of Peter M. Gerhart’s Contract Law and Social Morality. Missouri Law Review, 89(2).
    2023 Viven-Wilksch, J. (2023). The importance of being relational: comparative reflections on relational contracts in Australia and the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 74(3), 528-558.
    DOI
    2022 Viven-Wilksch, J. (2022). The importance of being relational: comparative reflections on relational contracts in Australia and the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 73(AD2), 94-124.
    DOI
    2022 Christie, D., Saintier, S., & Viven-Wilksch, J. (2022). Industry-Led Standards, Relational Contracts and Good Faith: Are the UK and Australia Setting the Pace in (Construction) Contract Law?. The Liverpool law review, 43(2), 287-310.
    DOI Scopus4
    2019 Viven-Wilksch, J. A. (2019). Good Faith in Contracts: Australia at a Crossroads. Journal of Commonwealth Law, 1(1), 273-316.
    2015 Viven-Wilksch, J. (2015). The adventures of good faith: can legal history and international developments provide guidelines for Australia?. Alternative Law Journal, 40(2), 89-92.
    DOI
    2014 Lombard, S., & Viven-Wilksch, J. (2014). Continuous disclosure and good faith. Company and Securities Law Journal, 32(6), 419-437.
    WoS1
    2014 Berthelet, P., El Boustani, Y., Fériel, L., Pétin, J., Pradel, N., Robert, L., . . . Viven-Wilksch, J. (2014). Le volet externe de l’Espace de Liberté, de Sécurité et de Justice : instruments et réalisations. Revue trimestrielle de droit Europeen, 11(3), 667-681.

  • Books
    Year Citation
    2023 Giancaspro, M., Golding, G., Nosworthy, B., Brown, D., Viven-Wilksch, J., Wawryk, A., . . . Zito, P. (2023). Contemporary Australian Business Law. Cambridge University Press.
    DOI
    2019 Babie, P., & Viven-Wilksch, J. (Eds.) (2019). Léon Duguit and the Social Obligation Norm of Property A Translation and Global Exploration. Gateway East, Singapore: Springer.
    Scopus4
    2019 Babie, P., & Viven-Wilksch, J. (Eds.) (2019). Léon Duguit and the Social Obligation Norm of Property A Translation and Global Exploration. Gateway East, Singapore: Springer.
    Scopus4

  • Book Chapters
    Year Citation
    2023 Viven-Wilksch, J. (2023). The Australian legal system. In M. Giancaspro, G. Golding, B. Nosworthy, D. Brown, A. Wawryk, S. Villios, . . . J. Viven-Wilksch (Eds.), Contemporary Australian Business Law (Vol. 56, 1 ed., pp. 1-20). Cambridge University Press.
    DOI Europe PMC1
    2023 Viven-Wilksch, J., Golding, G., & Giancaspro, M. (2023). Contracts: parties and terms. In M. Giancaspro, G. Golding, B. Nosworthy, D. Brown, J. Viven-Wilksch, A. Wawryk, . . . P. Zito (Eds.), Contemporary Australian Business Law (1 ed., pp. 104-125). Cambridge University Press.
    2019 Viven-Wilksch, J. (2019). Translator's Note. In P. Babie, & J. Viven-Wilksch (Eds.), Léon Duguit and the Social Obligation Norm of Property: A Translation and Global Exploration (pp. xi-xiv).
    2019 Babie, P. T., & Viven-Wilksch, J. (2019). Léon Duguit and the Propriété Function Sociale. In P. Babie, & J. Viven-Wilksch (Eds.), Léon Duguit and the Social Obligation Norm of Property: A Translation and Global Exploration (pp. 1-34). Singapore: Springer.
    DOI Scopus1
    2019 Viven-Wilksch, J. A. (2019). Translation. In P. Babie, & J. Viven-Wilksch (Eds.), Léon Duguit and the Social Obligation Norm of Property: A Translation and Global Exploration (pp. 35-64). Springer Singapore.
    DOI
    2019 Viven-Wilksch, J. (2019). Making use of new technology. In W. Swain, & D. Campbell (Eds.), Reimagining Contract Law Pedagogy A New Agenda for Teaching (pp. 180-198). United Kingdom: Routledge.
    2019 Viven-Wilksch, J. A. (2019). How Long Is Too Long to Determine the Success of a legal Transplant? International Doctrines and Contract Law in Oceania. In V. Breda (Ed.), Legal Transplants in East Asia and Oceania (pp. 132-157). Cambridge; United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
    DOI Scopus1

  • Conference Papers
    Year Citation
    2018 Giancaspro, M., Castles, M., Nosworthy, B., Olijnyk, A., & Viven-Wilksch, J. (2018). A Collegiate Approach to Best Practice Group Work in Law. In N/A. University of Adelaide.
2024 Course and Program Uplift, Teaching Grant, (Faculty of ABLE)
2023 Brooking Prize 2023 ( Society of Construction Law of Australia)

2018

Learning Enhancement and Innovation Grant ( University of Adelaide)
2017 Learning Development Grant  (Faculty of the Professions)
2016    

Recorded Lecture Grant (Faculty of the Professions)

 

Lecturer: 
  • Selected Issues In Contract
  • Commercial transactions 
  • Comparative Law/Advanced Comparative Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Commercial Law II
  • EU Law
  • Contract Law
Course Coordinator: 
  • Corporate Law
  • Private International Law
  • Comparative Law/ Advanced Comparative Law
  • EU Law
Teaching Prizes and Awards:

2021 Faculty of the Professions Award for Learning and Teaching – 21st Century Learning and Teaching (University of Adelaide)

2020 Nominated for the Stephen Cole the Elder Award for Excellence in Teaching (University of Adelaide)

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External Profiles