France is appealing to most law students because of the opportunity to get a higher education around important academics as well as get one of the best international education there is. A lot of French law Universities are also some of Europe’s and the world’s best law universities.
Later on in this article we’re going to talk about what exactly is the French law degree and how you can earn one, but first we have listed our picks of the best law Universities in France.
Best Law Universities in France
If you’re convinced that you want to approach law in France, here are our top five picks of some of the best law schools and universities with law programs in France and even Europe.
- Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
- Queen Mary University of London
- University Paris 2 Pantheon-Assas
- Sciences Po
- Université Toulouse 1 Capitole
Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
The Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne offers a one-year program “Sorbonne LLM Business Law for Foreign Lawyers” that is made for non-French speaking students holding a Master’s degree or equivalent from a foreign University. During this year, students will be trained in both public and private law as well as European Union law related to business activities in France and generally in Europe. Although these courses are taught in English the students will still have plenty of opportunities to learn French and visit important French institutions.
Queen Mary University of London
The Queen Mary School of Law offers several bachelor and masters programs, covering different subject combinations as well as study-abroad opportunities. They hold over 28,000 students that are drawn from 160 nationalities. Not only are they academically improving but they are charitable as well. Queen Mary University of London provides dedicated support for refugees, those who have been in local authority care and those who are estranged from their family or carer. This University makes headlines in different fields such as politics, medicine, psychology etc.
University Paris 2 Pantheon-Assas – LL.M. in International Business Law
University Paris 2 Pantheon-Assas is considered as France’s first law University, it is dedicated to keeping the tradition from which it was created in and striving to raise its level of excellence in the courses: Private Law, Public Law, Criminal Science, Political Science, Roman Law, History of Law, Economics, Management, Information and Communication Sciences. University Paris 2 Pantheon-Assas offers a variety of Master’s degrees in Law which you can look for in the University’s website. Their goal is to enhance lawyers, new managers and jurists’ knowledge on specific European and International Law issues. All of their seminars are taught in English on their 4 campuses: Dubai, Mauritius, Paris and Singapore.
Sciences Po
Sciences Po’s programs and degrees are up to international standards and are recognized by some of the most renowned universities that even offer dual degrees in bachelor, master, and doctorate level. In particular, Sciences Po’s law school program offers joint degrees with Universities such as Columbia Law School, the University of Virginia School of Law, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, and Duke University School of Law. Sciences Po is ranked 4th in France for Economic Law and 2nd in France by QS World University rankings.
The best thing about this university is also the fact that the programs are taught entirely in English so you can learn French as you go about your studies.
Université Toulouse 1 Capitole
University of Toulouse was the 2nd university created in France with these four original courses theology, canon law, civil law and Arts which then later on were alongside the new courses such as: medicine, economy, human sciences etc. The Law Faculty delivers a comprehensive research and training portfolio in legal and political fields. They offer research activities in law as well as doctoral schools and a lot more opportunities to study law at University of Toulouse which you can learn more about on the university website.
The French Law Degree
In France, a law degree is earned by attending law school. Law school is a school within a larger university, not a separate entity. To practice law in France you have to have a Bachelor in Law (LLB) and then at least a Master’s degree in the field (LLM), although a doctoral level program (PhD in Law) is also available.
Earning a Law Degree in France
Getting selected for an undergraduate program in a law University is not as difficult in France since it is within a public University. However, that does not mean you will definitely get accepted or succeed if you do.
Law school in France is divided into 3 programs. First, students attend a three-year Bachelor of law program (called “Licence de Droit”). This is followed by a two-year Master of Law program (LLM), and finally a three-year or more Ph.D. in law. In order to enter the bar, students must also enter the bar school. Acceptance into bar school requires at least the first year of Master of law training.
A lot of students tend to pick law school in France because of their low cost. French education is also important to law students because of the many opportunities to meet some of the top educators internationally. The students who succeed are allowed to practice law in all of Europe, with the foundation of the strong civil law training that comes from the French educational system.
A lot of French law programs also study common law, so their graduates are well equipped to apply to the bar into other countries where civil law is not the main type of law practiced. All of these combined make France a very appealing place to choose a University to study law in. There are a great many choices to pick a law University in France but we’ve gathered some that would be ideal for international students who want to study in France.
Law Degree Career Options
After you’ve graduated from law school you normally want to find a job related to your degree. According to a survey conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), this is the work fields that law graduates were pursuing over a year after graduation:
- Professional, technical, scientific – 53%
- Public administration and defence – 8%
- Wholesale and retail trade – 6%
- Education – 5%
- Human health and social work – 5%
Main Career Options for Law Graduates
Career areas that are popular with law graduates include finance, marketing and HR.
The skills developed through studying for a law degree would be of use in the following job roles, although further training could be required:
- Consultant
- Tax inspector
- Legal executive
- Advice worker
- Insurance underwriter
- Investment fund manager
- Probation officer
- Lecturer in higher education
- Customs officer
- Civil service administrator
The Salary Law Graduates Can Get
A lot of jobs law graduates get paid very well but some more than others depending on the area of expertise you need for that job. Take a look at this chart to see how much you would approximately get if you were to choose one of these careers.
| Career | Annual salary |
| Barrister | €45,000 to €75,000 for |
| Trainee solicitor | €45,000 to €57,000 |
| Legal Executive | €224,580 |
| Advice worker | €44,810 yearly |
| Law professor (assistant professor) | €59,500 to €113,995 |
Skills you can add to your CV
After you’ve graduated from your chosen law school/program, there are a lot of skills you will have gained that will of course benefit you a lot especially in the beginning when looking for a job. You can add these newfound skills/qualities to your CV (gathering facts/research, self-management, written and spoken eloquence, communication skills, the ability to argue/state a case (both orally and in writing), analytical and problem solving skills, ability to see the bigger picture) to help your future employer know you better and get an idea of what you are looking for.
