Research Interests
Commercial and Contract Law Comparative Law Conflict of Laws Building & ConstructionDr Jessica Viven-Wilksch
Senior Lecturer
School of Law
College of Business and Law
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.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Senior Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2015 - 2024 | Lecturer | The University of Adelaide |
| 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 | Competency |
|---|---|
| English | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| French | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. Scopus4 WoS2 |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. Scopus6 |
| 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. Scopus6 |
| 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 PMC2 |
| 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. (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 |
| 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)
| Date | Role | Board name | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 - ongoing | Vice-Chair | Board of Directors | UNICITRAL National Coordination Committee for Australia | Australia |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 - ongoing | Co-Deputy Director | UNCITRAL National Coordination Committee for Australia | UNCITRAL National Coordination Committee for Australia | Australia |
| Date | Role | Membership | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 - ongoing | Member | Society of Construction Law in Australia | Australia |
| 2011 - 2018 | Member | Australia and New Zealand Society of International Law | Australia |
| Date | Office Name | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 - ongoing | Co-facilitator, eLearning Community of Practice | University of Adelaide | Australia |
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