The Semper Augustus Foundation was established for students, doctoral candidates, and aspiring legal practitioners who want to gain specialist knowledge in the areas of financial markets, economic and commercial law, banking law, and new technologies.

The Foundation carries out its educational mission by organizing lectures, expert discussions, scientific conferences and practical workshops in cooperation with law firms, law faculties, other NGOs and student organizations.

The Foundation is guided by the ideal of free and open access to education, science, and research results. Projects organized by the Foundation are free of charge, and the Foundation itself is a non-profit organization.

The Foundation's founders are graduates of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. During their student days, they jointly organized a conference devoted to investor protection. The Semper Augustus tulip—a symbol of the devastating consequences of the stock market crisis—was featured in the conference's promotional materials and subsequently in the Foundation's name.

Semper Augustus Foundation

Our drama is modest, unassuming, and far from the famous hemorrhages of history. Because it all began innocently with a plant, a flower, a tulip, which—how difficult it is to imagine—unleashed collective and unbridled passions. Moreover, for those who studied this phenomenon, the most astonishing fact was that this madness affected a frugal, sober, and hard-working nation. The question arises: how did it happen that in enlightened Holland, and nowhere else, the tulip mania—tulpenwoede—reached such alarming proportions, shook the foundations of a solid national economy, and drew representatives of all social classes into a gigantic gamble.

Zbigniew Herbert, The Bitter Smell of Tulips

Foundation's goals

• organizing educational and scientific projects

• popularizing knowledge in the field of commercial and banking law, financial markets and economics

• supporting legal education in Poland and supporting the young generation of lawyers and economists in expanding their knowledge

• popularizing the idea of ​​sustainable development and financing

• supporting educational and social initiatives operating at the interface of science and legal practice

• working for nationwide and international cooperation of scientific communities

• initiating and supporting interdisciplinary cooperation between scientific communities and representatives of practice

The Semper Augustus Foundation focuses on advancing expertise in financial markets, economic law, banking regulations, and emerging technologies for students and legal professionals. Our approach blends academic rigor with applied learning to equip participants with both foundational knowledge and practical capabilities across legal disciplines.

Our educational initiatives include curated lecture series and interdisciplinary conferences connecting academic researchers with industry experts. These gatherings facilitate knowledge exchange at the convergence of legal frameworks and technological innovation while maintaining scholarly standards.

Workshops led by practicing attorneys and field specialists offer simulated case studies and procedural training sessions. Collaborations with law schools and partner organizations ensure these sessions address current industry challenges while reinforcing core competencies required in legal practice environments.

Strategic alliances with university law departments and professional associations strengthen program development efforts while ensuring alignment between academic research outcomes and workplace applications through joint initiatives focused on emerging sector needs.

Adhering to open-access principles eliminates financial barriers across all programming through tuition-free participation models designed for equitable access regardless of socioeconomic status or institutional affiliation.

By integrating established methodologies with progressive approaches tailored to evolving industry landscapes we prepare emerging legal professionals to address complex societal challenges while upholding principles of fairness and adaptability in shaping future legal systems worldwide.

What we do

Founders of the Foundation

Filip Grabowski

Lukasz Chyla

Maja Wisła-Szopińska

Filip Grabowski

Maja Wisła-Szopińska

Lukasz Chyla

Piotr Statkiewicz

Vice President of the Management Board, a law graduate from Jagiellonian University and a second-year student of a Master's degree in Finance and Accounting at the Warsaw School of Economics. He has over three years of experience in banking and finance, including providing legal advice to banks and other financial institutions on domestic real estate financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, project finance transactions, and refinancing transactions. He currently works with a renowned law firm in the banking and finance team. At the Foundation, he coordinates and develops projects in the area of ​​banking law.

The CEO is a graduate of law at the Jagiellonian University and a joint honors International Politics/Drama graduate from the University of Wales. She also completed postgraduate studies in capital market law and economics at the Warsaw School of Economics and the OKSPO School of American Law at the Jagiellonian University. She is currently a postgraduate student in management studies at the University of Warsaw. Since 2020, she has been working with a Krakow law firm, where she advises on corporate and capital market law.

A member of the board, he graduated in law from the Jagiellonian University and Bucerius Law School in Hamburg. He has completed scholarship programs at Melbourne University and the University of Cambridge. He is currently a doctoral candidate in the Department of Private Commercial Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University, where he is pursuing a doctorate in prospectus law and teaching courses in commercial and trade law. He also currently manages the NCN Preludium research grant at the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw and is a visiting scholar at Columbia Law School in New York on the international SYLFF research grant.

A member of the board, a law graduate and third-year philosophy student at the Jagiellonian University, with academic interests in legal philosophy. During his studies, he was involved in organizational and financial activities within student organizations, including as a member of the Jagiellonian University Student Research Association (TBSP UJ) Presidium, a member of the Competition Committee of the Jagiellonian University Student Research Association Council, and the Chairman of the Jagiellonian University Student Research Association Tax Law Association. He is a coordinator and participant in numerous student research projects, specializing in securing funding for their implementation.

Foundation Team

Marta Czepiel

Maksymilian Kaszubowski

Karina Kilianczyk

A fifth-year law student at the Jagiellonian University, she is a seminarian in the Department of Criminal Law. Since 2021, she has been gaining experience as a legal assistant at a law firm specializing in Swiss franc loans, and then as an intern in the M&A/Banking department of a Warsaw law firm. She currently works in the legal department of a Polish sports club. She is a member of the TBSP UJ Economic and Commercial Law Research Group and the TBSP UJ Criminal Law Research Group.

A law graduate of the Jagiellonian University and a trainee attorney, he works with a Warsaw transactional law firm in the Banking & Finance team. During his studies, he was involved in activities including the Tax Law Student Research Group at the Jagiellonian University (TBSP UJ), the Economic and Commercial Law Student Research Group at the Jagiellonian University (TBSP UJ), ELSA Kraków, and ELSA Poland, coordinating scientific conferences, workshops, and training sessions.

A first-year, second-year, Master's student of economics at the Jagiellonian University and a second-year law student at the Pedagogical University of Krakow, she gained experience as an intern at the Financial Stability Department of the National Bank of Poland. She is a member of the board of the European Law Students' Association (ELSA) in Kraków.

Mission

The Semper Augustus Foundation focuses on offering free access to specialized knowledge across financial markets, economic law, banking regulations, and emerging technologies. The core idea here is simple yet vital—education serves as a public resource that should remain open to anyone aiming for academic or career advancement.

Here's how we approach this mission. First off, we back emerging talent through hands-on learning opportunities. That means hosting workshops, lectures, and conferences tailored for law students, doctoral researchers, and early-career professionals looking to sharpen their skills.

Next up is bridging theory with practice. We partner with universities, legal firms, and research bodies to turn academic insights into real-world solutions. This isn't just about papers and theories—it's about actionable knowledge that makes a difference.

Dialogue matters too. We create spaces where experts from different fields can exchange ideas with policymakers and community leaders. Think roundtables that spark debates on regulatory challenges or tech ethics discussions that shape future policies.

Accessibility stays non-negotiable. Every program runs at zero cost because financial barriers shouldn't block growth opportunities. Whether it's a webinar series on blockchain law or a symposium on market regulation equity stays baked into the process.

Now about our namesake—the Semper Augustus tulip symbolizes both potential and accountability in finance. It's not just a historical nod but a daily reminder to cultivate leaders who'll drive ethical innovation in law and business communities worldwide.

Projects

Academy of Capital Companies

a series of lectures and expert debates

Banking Law Workshops

lectures and workshops

They cooperate with us

📑 Documents

At the Semper Augustus Foundation, transparency and knowledge-sharing are at the heart of our mission. We make our key documents, publications, and reports freely available so that students, researchers, and partners can access valuable resources at any time.

Our Reports

Additional Information 2022

Document 1

Document 2

Document 3

Document 4

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy of the website https://sdhe.org/

Privacy Policy of the Semper Augustus Foundation Events

Regulations

Rules for participation in Banking Law Workshops

🤝 Support Us

The Semper Augustus Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to providing free access to education, research, and knowledge in the areas of law, finance, and new technologies. All of our projects—lectures, conferences, workshops, and publications—are organized without fees, so that everyone can learn and grow without barriers.

Your support enables us to:

• Offer scholarships and grants to students and young legal practitioners.

• Organize conferences, expert lectures, and workshops in cooperation with universities and law firms.

• Publish open-access research and educational materials.

• Expand our network of partnerships with NGOs, academic institutions, and legal experts.

• Keep education free and accessible to all.

💡 How You Can Support Us

• Donations – Help fund our educational projects and events.

• Partnerships – Collaborate with us on new initiatives.

• Volunteering – Share your time, skills, or expertise.

• Sponsorships – Support specific projects such as conferences or publications.

📧 For support, partnership, or donation inquiries, please contact us at:

fundacjasemperaugustus@sdhe.org

Janowa Wola 5 / 3, 30-550 Kraków, Polska