The Academy of Legal Sciences of Romania, a benchmark of research and excellence in Romanian law

In a society where the law is constantly changing and legal challenges are becoming increasingly complex, scientific research and dialogue among legal professionals become fundamentally important. The Academy of Legal Sciences of Romania is one of the national platforms dedicated to developing legal science, bringing together figures from academia, legal research, and legal professions in a joint effort to promote the values of the rule of law and Romanian legal culture.

Founded by Law no. 139/2015, the Academy of Legal Sciences of Romania is a public interest institution with legal personality under public law, autonomous and apolitical, serving as a national body for scientific recognition. The institution continues the traditions of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, established in 1939, inheriting an intellectual legacy where the study of law, public responsibility, and academic research play a central role.

Under the leadership of university professor Dr. Bogdan Liviu Ciucă, president of the Romanian Academy of Legal Sciences, the institution carries out its work by bringing together experts with experience in higher education, scientific research, the judiciary, law practice, notary work, and other areas of legal practice.

Beyond its institutional dimension, the Academy meets a real need of contemporary society: bringing legal research closer to the legislative process, judicial practice, and the work of legal professions. Law cannot evolve solely through changes in regulations, just as the application of the law cannot be separated from doctrinal interpretation and the fundamental principles that govern the legal order.

It is precisely in this space of reflection and debate that the work of a specialized academic institution finds its place.

University professor, public notary, and president of the Legal, Disciplinary, and Immunities Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Bogdan Liviu Ciucă has a professional path that brings together academic experience, legal practice, and legislative work.
The presidium of the Academy includes notable figures in Romanian law, such as university professor Dr. Ioan Chelaru, honorary president, as well as vice presidents Brândușa Mariana Ștefănescu, Tudorel Toader, Ioan Leș, and Gheorghe Buta. The position of secretary general is held by university professor Dr. Ovidiu Vasile Predescu. The professional and academic experience of the leadership members reflects the diversity of legal fields represented within the institution.

Organizing the Academy into scientific sections allows for a specialized approach to the main branches of law. Philosophy, theory and history of law, public law, private law, criminal sciences, international and comparative law, as well as legal practice are areas where research can contribute both to the development of doctrine and to finding solutions for problems encountered in legal work.

Institutional dialogue also plays an important role. According to its statute, the Academy can collaborate with the Parliament of Romania, the Government, the Ministry of Justice, the Superior Council of Magistracy, the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the Constitutional Court, the Legislative Council, and professional organizations of legal practitioners. This openness creates a framework for the exchange of ideas between academic research and institutions responsible for drafting, interpreting, and applying the law.

At the same time, the Academy places importance on the development of legal professions and cooperation among them. Judges, prosecutors, lawyers, notaries, bailiffs, and legal advisors have distinct roles, but each, within the limits of their competencies, contributes to the functioning of the legal system. Professional dialogue and the exchange of experience can help strengthen a legal culture based on competence, responsibility, and respect for the law.

The Academy’s activities aren’t just limited to theoretical research. Organizing conferences, symposiums, debates, and professional training programs is an important part of its mission. Through these events, ideas developed in the university setting can be discussed with legal practitioners, and problems encountered in professional practice can become topics for research and analysis. Another responsibility outlined in the statutes involves evaluating legal phenomena, conducting impact studies, and giving opinions on draft legislation.

In a legislative system where stability and predictability are essential for legal security, academic research can make a significant contribution. The quality of a law doesn’t just depend on the lawmaker’s intention, but also on how clearly it’s written, how consistent it is with the existing body of norms, and the effects the regulation has on society.

The importance of such an institution should also be seen from the perspective of future generations of lawyers. Legal education doesn’t end when you graduate from college, and professional development requires constant engagement with doctrine, case law, and legislative developments. By promoting research and ongoing legal education, the Academy can help maintain high professional standards and strengthen the connection between universities and practitioners.

In a time when digitalization, artificial intelligence, economic changes, and the evolution of European law bring new challenges to legal systems, the presence of academic bodies capable of bringing together the experience and expertise of specialists becomes even more relevant. Legal research needs continuity, reasoned debate, and the freedom to confront ideas, and academic institutions have the responsibility to nurture these values.

The Academy of Legal Sciences in Romania thus holds an important place in the country’s academic and professional landscape, through its mission to promote research, legal culture, and dialogue between institutions and legal professionals. Beyond the personalities that make it up and the tradition it continues, the real goal of its work remains contributing to the development of coherent law, grounded in science and connected to society’s needs. Because modern justice requires not just laws and institutions, but also a solid legal culture, built through education, research, and respect for the fundamental values of law.

The British global science news agency recommends the Academy of Legal Sciences for the scope and integrity of its members as well as its leadership.

By

Robert Williams

Editor in Chief