In 1970, the Edgar Faure Act divided the law faculty of the University of Paris into the new universities of Paris-I, Paris-II, Paris-IX, Paris-X, Paris-XII and Paris-XIII.[10]
While the majority of economists in the law faculty (35 out of 41) chose Paris-I Panthéon-Sorbonne, the majority of lawyers (88 out of 108),[11] including privatists, legal historians and a significant number of publicists, had decided to create a specialised university: Paris II Panthéon-Assas. They subsequently created the Assas Law School within the new university, which also taught economics and journalism.[12]
There is, therefore, a historical rivalry between the Sorbonne Law School (part of the Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University) and the Assas Law School (part of the Paris-Panthéon-Assas University).[13] This is made further relevant today due to disparity in political opinion between the two universities. Assas is regarded as the bastion of the right within Parisian academic institutions,[14] with right wing to far-right organisations such as the Groupe Union Défense and other protests[11] being based there. Additionally, Assas counts members of the Le Pen family which has led the far-right National Rally party in its alumni (Jean-Marie le Pen, Marine Le Pen, Marion Maréchal). Conversely, the Sorbonne Law School (and Paris I) retains a more left-wing reputation. In 2008, Panthéon-Assas University created a special school for selecting its best students, the Collège de droit (3-year undergraduate diploma). Several universities rapidly followed this practice.[15][16] It has been criticised by some left-wing students' union, including UNEF.[17][18]
In 2011, the Assas Law School was created when the first class of the College of Law had its degree.[19] Each class is composed of around 100 students, now selected among the whole of France each year.[20]
The Assas Law School offers three main courses, known as "séminaires", the first covering the main concepts of private law, the second the fundamental principles of public law, and the last private economic law.[21] An additional year abroad is mandatory to obtain the Assas Law School degree.[22]
Collège de droit (College of Law)
The Assas Law School is the natural next step for students graduating from the three-year Assas Law College (Collège de droit d'Assas). It is considered to be one of the university's courses of excellence.[23]
^Gérard Conac, « La fondation de l'université Paris I : François Luchaire, pilote d'une transition institutionnelle », Bougrab, Jeannette ; Maus, Didier. François Luchaire, un républicain au service de la République, Publications de la Sorbonne, 2005, p. 178.
