Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Eric Windholz is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at Monash University, Director of its Juris Doctor course, and an Associate with its Centre for Commercial Law and Regulatory Studies and a Fellow of the Australian Centre for Justice Innovation. Eric has a PhD from Monash University, a MBA from Melbourne University, a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), also from Monash University, and a Graduate Diploma in Company Secretarial Practice and Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice.
Eric's research expertise is in two areas: (1) regulatory theory and practice, or what he describes as the science and art of modern regulatory practice; and (2) sports law, and in particular the application of regulatory theory to the world of sport - thus combining his two areas of expertise.
Through this research, Eric explores how business, government and civil society intersect to inform the development of public policy, law and regulatory regime design and implementation, particularly within international and national sporting systems.
But sport is not the only area where Eric has deployed his expertise. Eric also has applied it to the examination of regulatory regimes in important social and economic domains including occupational health and safety, disability services, consumer and environmental protection, and building and construction.
Eric brings a strong and unique theoretical and practical perspective to his research: employing doctrinal and empirical research techniques; combining law, public policy, regulation and governance, and more than 30 years' experience working, first, in heavily regulated industries (in Australia, the United States and Asia), second as a regulator of industry and, now, as an academic specialising in regulatory theory and practice.
Eric is the author of Governing through Regulation: Public Policy, Regulation and the Law (Routledge, 2018). Eric also have written numerous book chapters and articles. These articles have been published in both general law journals and specialist journals in employment, business and sports law, public policy, public administration, health and safety policy and practice, labour history, environmental law and policy, and construction automation - reflecting the multi-disciplinary perspective he brings to his work.
Eric’s research has had important impacts outside of academia. Eric has been the Chief Investigator on two Cooperative Research Centre projects partnering with government and industry to examine the use of technology (including AI) to enhance the building and construction sector and its regulation, and consults to government departments, agencies and sporting organisations on regulatory issues. Eric also has made submissions to a number of Parliamentary and Government inquiries, and has been quoted and/or cited extensively in the resulting reports. Further, Eric presents regularly at national and international conferences and seminars, to both academic and industry audiences.
Eric's desire to make a difference also extends to his students, who consistently rate him highly in their teaching evaluations. Eric teaches in the areas of:
- public law (Administrative Law (LLB and JD); Public Law and Statutory Interpretation (LLB and JD); Public Policy, Regulation and the Law (LLB)); and
- sports law (Sport and the Law (LLB); Sports Law: Public Policy, Regulation and Governance (JD); Contemporary Issues in International Sports Law (LLB and JD)).
Eric also has successfully supervised PhD and Honours students researching in these and related areas - and is available to supervise new students.
You can find Eric on X (Twitter) @ELWindholz, LinkedIn and many of his papers on SSRN.
Research interests
Regulatory theory and practice
Sports Law
Public law
Worplace health and safety
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
External positions
Editorial Board Member, Australia New Zealand Sports Law Journal
Committee Member, Law Institute of Victoria Sports Law Committee
Theme Leader, Policy & Regulation, Building 4.0 Cooperative Research Centre
Research area keywords
- Regulation
- Sport Law
- Workplace health and safety
- Public law
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 7 Finished
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Evaluation of emerging technologies for remote (virtual) inspections of building work
Fang, Y. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Windholz, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ngo, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Khoshelham, K. (Chief Investigator (CI))
7/07/22 → 6/07/23
Project: Research
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Research, Information and Education Materials:the Regulatory Framework
11/02/22 → 25/03/23
Project: Research
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ePlanning and eApprovals – Scoping Study
Duffield, C. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Windholz, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sabri, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Herath, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), McRobert, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ng, Y.-F. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Gower, A. (Chief Investigator (CI))
15/11/20 → 7/06/21
Project: Research
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BC-GRIP A new general duty to prevent harm is coming to Victoria : How can EPA Ensure its success among new stakeholder groups?
Edwards, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Windholz, E. (Supervisor), Faulkner, N. (Supervisor), Werbeloff, L. (Supervisor) & Smith, L. (Project Manager)
26/03/18 → 25/03/21
Project: Research
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Provision of research support to EPA’s Sanctions Strategy External Analysis and Benchmarking Panel
24/10/17 → 30/06/18
Project: Research
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Factors influencing the adoption of remote visual inspection in building regulatory activities
Hu, S., Fang, Y., Windholz, E. & Khoshelham, K., 19 May 2025, In: Journal of Management in Engineering. 41, 4, 11 p., 05025002.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
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Footballers, umpires and boxers in the Supreme Court
Windholz, E., 2025, Binding Authority: 150 Years of Authorised Law Reporting in Victoria: Leading Cases of The Supreme Court of Victoria 1875–2025. Willis, P. G. (ed.). 1st ed. Melbourne Vic Australia: Council of Law Reporting in Victoria, p. 451-474 24 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research
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Professional athletes and injury insurance: a better way forward
Windholz, E., 2025, In: Alternative Law Journal. 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Sports gambling
Windholz, E., 2025, The Routledge Handbook on Sports Law and Governance. Greenhow, A. & Wolohan, J. (eds.). 1st ed. Abingdon UK: Routledge, p. 213-231 19 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research
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Clinical innovation and scope of practice regulation: a case study of the Charlie Teo decision
Walsh, J., Downie, S., Windholz, E., Kirk-Brown, A. & Haines, T. P., 2024, In: Australian Health Review. 48, 1, p. 91-94 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus)
Prizes
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Faculty of Law 2018-2019 Teaching Award for teaching excellence in achieving outstanding student satisfaction in LAW4537 Public Policy, Regulation and the Law – Semester 2 2018
Windholz, Eric (Recipient), 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Faculty of Law 2020 Teaching Citation Award for Juris Doctor compulsory unit with the Highest Student Satisfaction Score – Trimester 1 2020 (LAW5014 Principles of Administrative Law)
Windholz, Eric (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Faculty of Law Teaching Award for 2020 for achievement in student-centred teaching and education innovation for redesigning Sport and the Law (LAW4340) to accommodate large student numbers in an online environment
Windholz, Eric (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Mollie Holman Doctoral Medal for the best doctoral thesis in the Monash University Faculty of Law, 2013
Windholz, Eric (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Monash Law Faculty Students’ Publication Prize, 2013
Windholz, Eric (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Submission to the Review of the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989
Windholz, E. (Fellow)
Jun 2024Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Australia and New Zealand Tort and Compensation Researchers and Teachers Network Symposium - Concussion in Sport: From Tort Law to Compensation Systems. Compensating long-term, long-latency injuries in professional sport
Eric Windholz (Invited speaker)
16 Feb 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Australia New Zealand Sports Law Conference 2024
Windholz, E. (Invited speaker)
24 Oct 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Australian Centre for Justice Innovation Submission to the Sentencing Advisory Council consultation on Sentencing for Occupational Health and Safety Offences
Windholz, E. (Contributor) & Grant, G. (Contributor)
Jun 2024Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Navigating Sports’ Generational and Cultural Divide: Implications for the Future of Sports Governance (paper presented at the Bond University Interdisciplinary Colloquium on Sport)
Eric Windholz (Speaker)
24 Feb 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Press/Media
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Legality and tolerance of brawls at community football matches - ‘Brendan Fevola's local football team caught up in an ugly brawl'
15/04/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Tennis pros rally for better pay and less punishing schedules, amid wider power struggles in world sport
24/03/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast - Australian Sports Commission Concussion Updates, Navigating Workers Compensation and Concussion in Sports Law with Dr. Eric Windholz
29/10/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Concussion test: Contact sports are under growing pressure to respond to the issue of brain injuries
22/10/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Sex testing and the Olympics. How do we make sport fair?
2/08/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment