Nepomuk Nothelfer

Research assistant

I am driven by the desire to make a difference because digital is now!

Nepomuk Nothelfer works, researches and lectures i.a. in the areas of civil, labor/employment and gambling law with a focus on esports and gaming as well as traditional sports.

Esports law is a dynamic cross-sectional matter that is still in the early stages of its development. Outstanding client work in the field of esports therefore requires three things: Expertise in the actual characteristics of the industry, broad knowledge regarding the most relevant legal subjects and in-depth knowledge of the respective political developments. Since 2018, Nepomuk Nothelfer has been combining his personal passion for gaming, esports and traditional sports with his profession. As co-founder of the world's first university Research Center for Esports Law and the world's largest interdisciplinary research network (Esports Research Network) as well as the scientific advisory board of the German Esports Federation, he has been doing pioneering work in the scientific examination of esports for years. This is also reflected in the large number of scientific publications and his work as editor of the esports section of the German journal Zeitschrift für Sportrecht und E-Sportrecht in der Praxis (Journal for Sports Law and Esports Law in Practice). In the Esports Research Network, he is responsible for all things legal and curates the Legal Database as well as the world’s largest multidisciplinary publication database in esports. In addition, as a lecturer on esports law, he trains the industry leaders of tomorrow, both nationally and internationally.

In addition to his work for SKW Schwarz, he also advises various national and international stakeholders from the landscape of associations and politics (e.g. the European Parliament and parliamentary parties in the German Bundestag) and is therefore not only well-versed in dealing with established law, but also involved in various legislative developments. Furthermore, he has repeatedly written expert opinions related to esports.

Career

Law studies at the University of Augsburg
Research assistant and faculty council at the Faculty of Law of the University of Augsburg as well as academic council of the University of Augsburg
Editor for Esports (Schriftleiter) of the German journal Zeitschrift für Spotrecht und E-Sportrecht in der Praxis (Journal for Sports Law and Esports Law in Practice)
Ongoing doctoral project in the field of esport law
Since 2021 research assistant at SKW Schwarz

Miscellaneous activities

Nepomuk Nothelfer is a lecturer at the Hochschule für angewandtes Management, at the Verwaltungs- und Wirtschafts-Akademie Ostbayern/Schwaben as well as guest lecturer at various leading (inter)national academic institutions like the University of Vienna or the Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economia in Madrid.

He is a mentor in the renowned program LawWithoutWalls (University of Miami School of Law) and chairs the Working Group Gaming in the Di4 – Network for the Promotion of Digital Infrastructures, Investments, Innovations and Industry. From 2017 to 2020, he served as a member of the 25th and 26th faculty council of the Faculty of Law of the University of Augsburg, as the institute coordinator for institute coordinator for civil law mid-level teaching and as a member of the academic council of the University.

Presentations

May 12, 2022: Panel (participant) on „Virtual Objects in Video Games - An Evaluation from the Perspective of Esports“ (Event on Virtual Objects in Video Games) – in German
May 6, 2022: Panel (participant) on „Legal Aspects of Digital Sports in Europe“ (Digital Sports in Europe, World Esports Consortium) – in English
May 6, 2022: Presentation „Esports and Sports Law“ (Virtual Coffee Break der International Sports Lawyers Association) – in English
April 6, 2022: Presentation “Esports and Video Games” (EU Stakeholder Meeting on esports and video games for the INI report of the EU Parliament [CULT Committee]) – in English
March 16, 2022: Presentation “Professional Esports Athletes: Freelancers or Employees?” (Esports Lunch Lectures Germany, SKW Schwarz Rechtsanwälte) – in English
March 14, 2022: Presentation „Esports and Video Games“ and corresponding Q&A session (Meeting of the EU Parliament [CULT Committee]) – in English
December 9, 2021: Panel (moderator) on “Players Management & Esports Education Session” (Esports Research Network Conference 2021) – in English
November 17, 2021: Presentation „Betting on Esports in Germany“ (Esports Lunch Lectures Germany, SKW Schwarz Rechtsanwälte) – in English
November 13, 2021: Presentation „Current Legal and Regulatory Issues in Esports“ (Sports Lawyer Conference Germany by the German Lawyer Association) – in German
October 7, 2021: Panel (participant) on „Esports Law“ (Conference of the Research Center for Esports Law – The Contract Design in Esports) – in German
October 6, 2021: Panel (moderator) on „Esports & Associations “ (Esports & Science, State University of Applied Sciences Mittweida) – in German
July 8, 2021: Presentation „Esports Law in Japan and Germany“ (German-Japanese Lawyers Association and the Goethe University of Frankfurt) – in German
May 12, 2021: Panel (participant) on „Hate & Agitation on the Internet“ (Theiners Talk with the Bavarian State Minister of Justice Georg Eisenreich) – in German
April 24, 2021: Panel (participant) on „Legislation Across Europe“ (eSports Business Summit 21) – in English
April 10, 2021: Panel (participant) on “The Future of Esports and Gaming Law” (Southern University Law Center Esports Summit 2021) – in English
January 26, 2021: Workshop „Labor/Employment Law in Esports“ (State Center for Esports and Digitization Schleswig-Holstein) – in German
October 1, 2020: Presentation „Esports – Game, Business, Legal Case” (digiWiesn 2020) – in German
September 3, 2020: Presentation „The Esports Definition – Formation, Subsumption, Legal Policy“ (Conference of the Research Center for Esports Law - The Incorporation of Esports into the German Legal System) – in German
August 6, 2020: Interview in the article of the German Press Agency „Esports in Bavaria: Is the strategy missing?” (dpa:200731-99-00356/) with the Bavarian State Minister for Digital Affairs Judith Gerlach – in German
June 25, 2020: Workshop „Tutorial: Esports Law“ (SKW Schwarz Rechtsanwälte , G2 Esports and Research Center for Esports Law) – in German
April 2, 2020: Invitation to panel (participant) on „New Developments in Entertainment and Sports Technology” (Global Entertainment & Sports Law + Industry Conference, University of Miami) – in English
March 4, 2020: Workshop „Esports – Definition and Legal Framework in Germany” (The Digital Infrastructure Investment Summit 2020) – in English
December 5, 2019: Presentation „Esports and Regulation: Where are we?“ and panel (participant) on „(E)Sports, Betting and Compliance“ (Colloquium: Sports Betting, Esports and Compliance, University of Augsburg) – in German
May 17, 2019: Presentation „Play Hard, Work Hard – When Gaming Becomes Work“ (Conference of the Research Center for Esports Law – Politics, Practice and Science in Dialogue) – in German
November 8, 2018: Keynote „The Blockchain Technology“ (Code is Law – Die Blockchain as a Revolution of Law), University of Augsburg) – in German

Publications

Papers in journals

“Virtuelle Sportsimulationen in verbands- und rechtspolitischer Hinsicht” (in German) (Virtual sports simulations in the context of association and legislative policies), SpoPrax 2022, p. 66-72, with Daniel Trunk
„Wetten auf eSport-Ereignisse in Deutschland und Österreich“ (in German) (Betting on Esports Events in Germany and Austria), SpoPrax 2022, p. 20-25, with Patrick Petschinka
„Der sozialversicherungsrechtliche Status von E-Sportlern“ (in German) (The Status of Esports Players under Social Security Law), NZS 2021, p. 918-922, with Christian Koops
„eSport im Fadenkreuz der Sportwettensteuer – Eine Analyse des § 15 RennwLottDV-E“ (in German) (Esports in the Crosshairs of Sports Betting Tax Regulation - An Analysis of § 15 RennwLottDV-E), SpoPrax 2021, p. 116-123, with Dr. Lennart Brüggemann
„Die Bundesregierung zur Förderung des eSports in Deutschland – Antwort auf BT-Drs. 19/28730” (in German) (The Federal Government on the Promotion of Esports in Germany - Response to BT-Drs. 19/28730), SpoPrax 2021, p. 124-127
“Zulässigkeit von Wetten auf eSport-Ereignisse nach deutschem Glücksspielrecht“ (in German) (Admissibility of Bets on Esports Events Under German Gambling Law), ZfWG 2021, p. 128-137, with Prof. Dr. Martin Maties
„Das Versäumnis des Gesetzgebers in der Causa eSport und dessen Auswirkungen auf die Praxis“ (in German) (The Legislator's Shortcoming Regarding Esports and its Impact on Practice), SpoPrax 2021, p. 26-31, with Patrick Petschinka
„Das deutsche eSport-Visum (Teil II) - Eine kritische Analyse des § 22 Nr. 5 BeschV“ (in German) (The German Esports Visa (Part II) - A Critical Analysis of § 22 No. 5 BeschV), LR 2020, p. 276-283
„Das deutsche eSport-Visum (Teil I) - Eine kritische Analyse des § 22 Nr. 5 BeschV“ (in German) (The German Esports Visa (Part I) - A Critical Analysis of § 22 No. 5 BeschV), LR 2020, p. 266-275
„Die Anwendbarkeit des technischen Arbeitsschutzrechts bei spielbezogenen eSport-Tätigkeiten“ (in German) (The Applicability of Technical Occupational Safety to Game-Related Esports Activities), RdA 2020, p. 211-220, with Dr. Simge Kurt
„Der Arbeitnehmer im professionellen eSport (in German) (The Employee in Professional Esports), NZA 2019, p. 865-870, with Prof. Dr. Johannes Peter Francken and Philipp Schlotthauer

Comments on court decisions

„Die Europarechtskonformität von § 9 Abs. 1 Alt. 1 AGG und das rechtsmissbräuchliche Entschädigungsbegehren im Rahmen des § 15 AGG – Besprechungsaufsatz zum BAG-Urteil vom 25.10.2018 – 8 AZR 562/16 – mit Bezug auf das BAG-Urteil vom 25.10.2018 – 8 AZR 501/14“ (in German) (The Conformity of § 9 Abs. 1 Alt. 1 AGG with European Law and the Illegal Claim for Compensation), SAE 2019, p. 131-138
„Die Mehrarbeitsanordnung als Arbeitskampfmittel – Besprechungsaufsatz zum BAG-Beschluss vom 20.03.2018 – 1 ABR 70/16“ (in German) (The Overtime Order as a Tool of Job Action), SAE 2019, p. 63-70, with Philipp Schlotthauer

Papers in edited volumes

„Grenzen der Vertragsgestaltung im eSport am Beispiel Tfue vs. FaZe Clan“ (in German) (Limits of Contract Drafting in Esports Based on the Example of Tfue vs. FaZe Clan), in: eSport-Recht – Politik, Praxis und Wissenschaft im Dialog“, 2020, p. 209-247, with Max Wörner
„(e)Sport im rechtlichen Sinne und privatrechtliche Beziehung zwischen Clan und eSportler“ (in German) ((E)Sports in the Legal Sense and the Relationship between Clan and Player under Civil Law), in: eSport – Status quo und Entwicklungspotenziale, 2020, p. 49-78, with Philipp Schlotthauer
Forthcoming: „Eine Einführung ins eSport-Recht - Kennzeichen der Branche und rechtliche Implikationen“ (in German) (An Introduction to Esports Law - Industry Characteristics and Legal Consequences), in: Handbuch zum eSports-Management, 2022, p. XX-XX, with Philipp Schlotthauer
Forthcoming: „(e)Sport im rechtlichen Sinne und privatrechtliche Beziehung zwischen Clan und eSportler“ (in German) ((E)Sports in the Legal Sense and the Relationship between Clan and Player under Civil Law; revised and updated for the 2nd edition), in: eSport – Status quo und Entwicklungspotenziale, 2. Ed. 2022), p. XX-XX, with Philipp Schlotthauer

Ongoing Commentary

Forthcoming: Comments regarding Esports Law, in: Stichwort-Kommentar zum eSport-Recht
Keywords:
- „Gemeinnützigkeit“ (Non-Profit Status)
- With Dr. Sebastian Klaus: "Immigration", “Arbeitserlaubnis” (Work Permit), "Aufenthalt” (Right of Residence), "Einreise” (Right of Entry) and "Visum" (Visa)
- With Prof. Dr. Philipp Fischinger: „Gewerkschaft“ (Unions)
- With Philipp Schlotthauer: Civil law aspects of "Cheating", "Exploiting", "Teaming", "Duping", "Leaving" and "Bug"
- With Christian Koops: tax and social security aspects of „eSportler“ (Player)

Miscellaneous

Editorial for the September 2021 issue of Sportrecht und E-Sportrecht in der Praxis (in German), SpoPrax 2021, p. 223
Conducting the interview in and editorial management of "E-Sport in der 20. Legislaturperiode des Deutschen Bundestags" (Esports in the 20th legislative period of the German Bundestag) (in German), SpoPrax 2021, p. 242-245
Conducting the interview in and editorial management of "Die Gründung des Landesverbandes E-Sport Nordrhein-Westfalen" (The Founding of the North Rhine-Westphalia Esports Association) (in German), SpoPrax 2021, p. 152-156
„Der eSport als Antwort für die HR-Probleme des deutschen Mittelstands“ (in German) (Esports as an Answer to the HR Problems of the German Mittelstand), manage it 2021, Ausgabe 5-6, p. 23-25, with Dr. Tobias M. Scholz
„Vom „Killerspiel“ zum Sport?“ (in German) (From "Killer Game" to Sports?), in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) – Einspruch, with Dr. Tobias M. Scholz
„Ein Jahr in neuen Gefilden – Jahresbericht 2019 der Forschungsstelle für eSport-Recht“ (in German) (A Year in New Territories – Annual Report 2019 of the Research Center for Esports Law), in: eSport-Recht – Politik, Praxis und Wissenschaft im Dialog, p. 7-18
“The parallels of golf and esports: History repeated?” (in English), in: Esports Research Network Blog, with Dr. Tobias M. Scholz
“Germany: Political Initiative Regarding the Non-Profit Status of Esports Clubs - Good news or bad news?” (in English), in: Connect On Tech