Leo Leitzinger is a CERF Postdoctoral Research Associate at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. He received his PhD in Economics from Goethe University Frankfurt in 2026. He holds degrees in economics, philosophy, and art history, and has studied at Goethe University Frankfurt, the University of Freiburg, the University of Toronto, and École Normale Supérieure de Lyon.
Leo’s research examines how legal institutions shape credit markets and access to finance. In particular, he studies how property rights, collateral law, and contract enforcement affect firms’ ability to use assets as collateral and obtain credit. His work considers both tangible and intangible assets, including intellectual property, and examines how differences in legal institutions affect lending and economic activity. His research combines administrative, legal, and financial data with quasi-experimental methods to identify the effects of legal and institutional change. His current research investigates how collateral law and contract enforcement jointly shape credit supply and economic development, drawing on legal reforms affecting Native American reservations in the United States.
