International Series of Private Legal Studies

High Tech Law

International series of legal studies High Tech Law (hereinunder, “HTL Series”) - founded and directed since 2003 by Vincenzo Franceschelli, previous Full Professor Of Private Law in the University of Milano Bicocca and Emilio Tosi, Associate Professor of Private Law in the University of Milano Bicocca, Full Professor habilitated and Executive Director HTL on initiative of the latter and under the auspices of Center of Legal Studies High Tech Law - aims to promote and develop, at an academic and professional level, knowledge of new EU legal rules governing:

• digital markets - included banking, financial and insurance markets;
• the deployment and use of anthropocentric, safe, transparent and trustworthy AI;
• digital platforms, electronic communications and new technologies in general, included neural interfaces rights , biotechnologies e life sciences;
• digital contracts, smart contracts, blockchain, non fungible tokens, immaterial digital goods;
• liabilities of data processors, information society intermediaries, digital platforms and AI;
• Fintech, Insuretech, Regtech e Digital Banking;
• Big Data, Internet of things, smart cars, smart home and smart cities;
• fundamental rights protection of physical person, digital identity, computer privacy, consumers, vulnerable subjects, intellectual and industrial property.

Scientific Evaluation Rules

Publication of studies within the International Series of Private Law Legal Studies  is subject to the following Scientific Evaluation Rules (hereinafter “SER”) approved by the Scientific Directors and adopted by the Scientific Committee:

• Publication within the HTL Series of monographic works and collections of studies, by ordinary scientific peer review procedure, must - after preliminary compatibility analysis with editorial guide- lines in addition to clear, comprehensive and consistent exposition - be introduced by at least one Director, and is subject to the approval of the two Auditors in charge of its scientific evaluation (hereinafter “Auditors”) - chosen, in rotation, by the advocating Director, within the Scientific Committee - considering the subject matter of the contribution.
• The work is sent to the Scientific Committee Auditors without specifying the names of Author/s and/or Curator/s. Additionally, the Auditor’s identity is also not revealed (i.e. “double blind peer review”).
• In the event that the evaluation - according to SER terms mentioned above at point (1) - is positive, the Directors authorize publication. In case the Scientific Committee Auditor expresses a positive evaluation subject to revision or editing of the work, the Directors approve publication only upon completion of the requested adaptation. In the event of a negative opinion from both Auditors, the contribution is rejected and the Author is notified unless the Directors, in derogation from the ordinary SER, assume scientific responsibility for the publication by their unanimity and unquestionable judgment.
• In particular cases - law studies by full Professors, renowned Authors within the specific publishing sector with more than ten years of publishing continuity or collection of studies - Directors may apply extraordinary scientific peer review procedure, directly evaluating scientific thoroughness, clarity, comprehensiveness, consistent exposition further to preliminary compatibility analysis with editorial guidelines, jointly authorizing publication, or - in the event of requested revisions or editing of the work - withholding approval until completion of requested adaptation.
• The Directors’ undisputable evaluation to publish either under ordinary, extraordinary scientific peer review procedure or in exception of SER it is mentioned within the work printing by the statement: “ Publication authorized by Series Directors HTL in compliance with ordinary double blind peer review procedure set forth by Scientific Evaluation Rules”; “ Publication authorized by Series Directors HTL in compliance with extraordinary peer review procedure set forth by Scientific Evaluation Rules for high standing Authors”; or “ Publication authorized by Series Directors HTL under their own scientific responsability in exception of ordinary Scientific Evaluation Rules”.
• Are called to be part of the Scientific Committee - upon Directors’ undisputable evaluation in reason of high standing notoriety expertise and prestige acquired in the scientific field of reference - Full and Associate Professor of italian and foreign Universities.

Milan, February 28, 2025

The Directors