By combining a method – comparative studies – with an ongoing process – the internationalization of law, that is, its extension beyond national borders – this Chair looks to the future, as uncertain as it may be. Of course current events tragically highlight the absence of a real legal world order. The collective security system of the Charter of the United Nations has shown its weaknesses and law has been unable to disarm force. Conversely, however, force cannot prevent this unprecedented extension of law, to the extent that no State can lastingly override it. In spite of appearances, it is no longer possible today to ignore the superposition of regional, national and global standards, nor the over-abundance of both national and international institutions and judges, with expanded jurisdiction. The new realities are causing law to evolve into complex and highly unstable interactive systems that are perhaps more symptomatic of profound change than of the defeat of law: we are faced with a change in the very conception of the legal order.

This volume provides an overview of the state of internationalisation of legal education (IOLE) in many civil law and common law countries. It provides a picture of the status of the debate about the shape and degree of internationalisation in the curriculum in the different countries, and the debates surrounding the adoption of a more international approach to legal education in the contemporary world. It is a compilation of the National Reports submitted for the August 2014 Congress of the IACL held at Vienna, and contains an introductory general report. Together, the reports examine such questions as: Why is the topic of internationalization of legal education on the agenda now? Why is it a relevant subject for examination today? Does the topic generate the same level of interest everywhere in the world? Is enthusiasm for IOLE mainly driven by the academic sector, by government, by multinational corporations? Is the interest closely linked with the globalization of the practice of law? Or is globalisation of law itself something of a myth, or a reality reserved for only a very small percentage of practising lawyers around the world? The general and national reports make clear that there is indeed widespread interest in IOLE, and numerous disparate initiatives around the world. Nonetheless, some National Reporters state that the topic is simply not on the agenda at all. All in all, the volume shows that the approaches to internationalisation are many and varied, but every jurisdiction recognises the importance of introducing aspiring lawyers to a more integrated global environment.

The internationalization of commerce and contemporary life has led to a globalization of legal standards and practices. The essays in this text explore this new reality and suggest ways in which the new legal order can be made more just and effective.

Economic globalization directly impacts the law of states. New laws are passed, treaties are ratified, and case law shifts focus in response to global market demand. Geographic borders no longer isolate states as new technologies provide avenues for constant interaction amongst individuals on opposite sides of the globe. Law is no longer purely local when an increasing part of the world population delocalizes. People are no longer local because they either physically move or carry out business and personal matters across multiple state boundaries. If individuals and businesses continue to delocalize at an increasing rate, nations must develop mechanisms and provide new tools to understand foreign individuals, systems, and institutions. The law itself must undergo reforms to remain competitive in a world with fading borders.This essay explores the impact economic globalization has had on comparative law, allowing for an analysis of the extent to which European Community law impacts private international laws of member states. This article demonstrates that globalization is reshaping the methods of comparative legal studies. It also shows that globalization, through European Community law, is directly impacting the private international laws of the member states of the European Union.

The primary aim of this book is to provide clear and reliable information on a number of central topics in comparative law. At a time when global society is increasingly mobile and legal life is internationalized, the role of comparative law is gaining importance. While the growing interest in this field may well be attributed to the dramatic increase in international legal transactions, this empirical parameter is only part of the explanation. The other part, and (at least) equally important, has to do with the expectation of gaining a deeper understanding of law as a social phenomenon and a fresh insight into the current state and future direction of one’s own legal system. In response to the internationalization of legal practice and theory, law schools around the world have expanded their comparative law programs. Within the legal subjects that form the core of the curriculum there is a greater interest in comparative legal analysis, as well as greater attention to how global developments and international actors and institutions affect domestic law. Transnational legal education based on comparative reasoning is intended to help shape a new generation of lawyers, public servants and other professionals who recognize and respect cultural diversity in an interconnected world. The central topics discussed in this book include: the nature and scope of comparative legal inquiries; the relationship of comparative law to other fields of legal study; the aims and uses of comparative law; the origins and historical development of comparative law; and the evolution and defining features of some of the world’s predominant legal traditions. It also deals with selected theoretical aspects, such as the problem of comparability of legal events; the classification of legal systems into families of law; and the topics of legal transplants, harmonization and convergence of laws. Chiefly intended for students, the book also discusses a number of fundamental issues concerning the development of comparative law, and devotes certain sections to reviewing the salient features of the relevant literature on definitional, terminological, methodological and historical issues.

A special course adoption price is available for an order of six or more copies from a university bookstore. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] and Foreign Legal Research: A Coursebook, by Marci Hoffman and Mary Rumsey, now in a second, revised edition, is designed for classes in foreign and international legal research. Following a general section on basic concepts, topics covered in the book range from treaty research to chapters on particular subjects of international law. Coverage also includes chapters on researching foreign and comparative law as well as major international organizations, including the UN and the EU. International and Foreign Legal Research offers a possible roadmap for structuring a class in international and foreign legal research while also serving as a tool for quick look-ups when a researcher requires direction on a topic or information on a source.Developed for use in legal research courses, International and Foreign Legal Research is an invaluable resource for librarians, students, law professors, and other researchers in the research of foreign and international law."