Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas

Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas
Name	Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas
Established	1971
Type	Public
City	Paris
Country	France
Campus	Urban

Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas is a public French university formed after the 1968 reform that reorganized Sorbonne-related institutions, inheriting legal and social science traditions from Université de Paris and the historic University of Paris. It is known for strong links with French institutions such as the Conseil d'État, the Cour de cassation, the Ministry of Justice, and international organizations like the United Nations and the European Court of Human Rights.

History

Founded in the aftermath of the May 1968 reforms, the university traces its roots to faculties dispersed after the split of the University of Paris into 13 autonomous institutions, inheriting legal traditions associated with the Palais de Justice, the Faculty of Law of Paris, and jurists active during the French Revolution. Early leadership included figures connected to the Conseil d'État and the Cour de cassation, and academic development was influenced by jurists who studied at the École Nationale d'Administration, the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, and the Collège de France. During the 1970s and 1980s the institution expanded connections with European counterparts such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Harvard Law School, and programs developed in cooperation with the European University Institute and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Campus and Facilities

The main campus is centered near the Place du Panthéon and the Latin Quarter, with buildings located in the 5th arrondissement and the 6th arrondissement. Facilities include lecture halls named for jurists linked to the Palais de Justice, seminar rooms used by visiting scholars from institutions like the Max Planck Society, and libraries holding collections connected to collections from the Bibliothèque nationale de France and archives from the Ministry of Justice. Student services coordinate internships at the Cour de cassation, clerkships with the Conseil d'État, placements with law firms in the Paris Bar, and exchanges hosted by the University of Bologna and the Universität Heidelberg.

Academic Programs and Faculties

Programs emphasize undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields associated with historic law schools, with faculties organizing courses in private law, public law, international law, and related fields linked to institutions such as the International Criminal Court, the European Court of Human Rights, World Trade Organization, and the International Monetary Fund. The university offers diplomas connected with professional bodies like the Ordre des avocats de Paris, joint degrees with the Sciences Po network and partnerships with the Paris-Sorbonne for humanities modules. Postgraduate offerings include Masters and Doctorates oriented toward careers at the Constitutional Council, the National Assembly, the European Commission, and NGOs such as Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières.

Research and Institutes

Research centers focus on comparative law, public policy, and transnational justice, maintaining collaborations with the Centre national de la recherche scientifique, the Sciences Po, the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, and the European University Institute. Specialized institutes study topics connected to the European Convention on Human Rights, the Treaty of Rome, World Trade Organization jurisprudence, and regulatory frameworks explored with partners like the International Labour Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The university hosts colloquia that have featured speakers from the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights, the Harvard Law School, and the Yale Law School.

Student Life and Organizations

Student associations include branches preparing candidates for the École Nationale d'Administration, societies focused on moot court competitions tied to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, and cultural groups that collaborate with the Musée du Louvre, the Opéra Garnier, and the Maison de la Poésie. Career services arrange internships with the Conseil d'État, placements in Paris law firms, and exchanges with institutions such as the Columbia Law School, the University of Tokyo, and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Student-run journals publish commentaries on rulings from the Cour de cassation and decisions by the Constitutional Council, and campus events often host lectures by visiting professors from the University of Chicago Law School, the London School of Economics, and the Australian National University.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni and faculty include jurists and politicians who served at the Conseil d'État, the Cour de cassation, the European Commission, the National Assembly, and ministerial posts; others have been influential at the International Criminal Court, the European Court of Human Rights, and global institutions such as the United Nations. Distinguished affiliates have held positions at the Collège de France, the École nationale d'administration, and foreign universities including Harvard University, Yale University, University of Oxford, and Cambridge University. Their contributions span jurisprudence cited in rulings by the Cour de cassation and doctrine discussed in seminars at the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.

Category:Universities in Paris Category:Law schools in France