Law Studies

Legal principles and their interpretation with a view to international legal cultures

Law affects everyone’s lives. In modern societies, nearly all aspects of human activity are subject to legal rules. Constitutional and administrative law regulate government activities and protect the civil rights of the citizens. Criminal law fixes the limits of acceptable human behaviour– and of the government’s right to inflict punishment. Private law determines the rights and obligations of citizens in their dealings with each other, thus creating the legal framework for the economic activities of businesses and consumers.

The multiplicity and variety of legal rules, principles, and issues make law a fascinating subject of study. Manifold career paths in both the public and private sector are open to law students upon the completion of their studies.

Studying Law at Trier

We at the Faculty of Law at Trier University take pride in the international character of our programmes. In addition to providing our students with solid knowledge in all areas of the German legal system, we strive to make them understand the diversity of legal cultures in the world and to enable them to work in an international environment.

The law faculty offers a comprehensive course of studies leading up to the first examination in law. Students who study towards the first examination can choose from seven specializations:

Foundations of Legal Development in Europe (Legal History)

  • Business Law
  • Labour Law and Social Security Law
  • Business Crime, Tax Crime, European and International Criminal Law
  • Environment and Infrastructure
  • European and International Law
  • German and International Tax Law

Trier has a long-standing tradition of offering an International Legal Studies Programme which enables students to acquire in-depth knowledge of a foreign legal system and good command of the respective language alongside their studies towards the first examination. Currently, the International Legal Studies Programme comprises courses in

  • Anglo American Law
  • Chinese Law
  • French Law
  • Japanese Law
  • Italian Law
  • Portuguese Law
  • Spanish Law
  • Turkish Law

International students may come to Trier under the ERASMUS programme or enrol in our LL.M. Programme.

The Law Faculty

The faculty has 18 full professors and about 40 research associates. Five distinguished honorary professors and a number of adjunct lecturers come from courts, government agencies, and from private practice teach in the faculty and help us maintain close contact with the bench and bar.

A list of faculty members can be found here. The personal pages of faculty members contain additional information on teaching, research and publications. As yet, most of the material is available in German only.

Institutes

  • Members of the law faculty are directors or co-directors of the following institutes:
  • Institute for Environmental Law and Technology Law (IUTR)
  • Institute for European Constitutional Law (IEVR)
  • Institute for German and European Water Management Law (IDEW)
  • Institute for German and European Law of Criminal Procedure Law and Police Law (ISP)
  • Institute for Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU)
  • Institute for Legal Policy (IRP)
  • Rhineland-Palatinate Centre for Insolvency Law and Business Reorganisation (ZEFIS)