Center of Civil Law Studies
The Center of Civil Law Studies (CCLS) was established in 1965 to promote and encourage the scientific study of the civil law system, its history, structure, principles, and actualities. Its purpose or mission is to facilitate a better understanding and further development of the private law of the State of Louisiana and other civil law jurisdictions, particularly those of continental Europe and Latin America, through theoretical and practical activities, such as publications, translations, sponsorship of faculty and student exchanges, visiting scholars, seminars, and lectures. The Center of Civil Law Studies promotes legal education by sponsoring foreign students who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity of studying a mixed legal system and American students who wish to expose themselves to other legal systems. Such programs take advantage of Louisiana’s natural position as an education center for international and comparative legal studies.
Bicentennial of the 1825 Louisiana Civil Code
On March 20-21, 2025, the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center hosted a two-day international conference to commemorate the 1825 Louisiana Civil Code. This event was organized by the LSU Center of Civil Law Studies (CCLS), led by Director Professor Olivier Moréteau. It was the largest academic event within the statewide commemoration coordinated by the Supreme Court of Louisiana Historical Society.
Over 40 leading experts on the Louisiana Civil Code and codification of the civil law, from Louisiana, the nation, and the world, presented and discussed papers that will be published in the Journal of Civil Law Studies over the next two years. The conference illustrated how Louisiana, as the first jurisdiction in the world to codify its private law in the wake of the Napoleonic Code, developed a code that is not merely a replica of the French Civil Code, but a synthesis of French and Spanish laws, presented in a didactic form. The relevance and content of the 1825 Civil Code and its influence in the United States, the Americas, and other parts of the world were also explored. The future of codification in mixed jurisdictions and the global context was also debated.
Over 90 participants attended the two-day event, contributing to rich and lively discussions. Some recordings are available online (Series 1; Series 2). The enthusiastic students who greeted the participants and facilitated a smooth organization described this as an extraordinary learning experience.
The conference also featured the 44th Tucker Lecture in Civil Law as its keynote address. This lecture was delivered by Professor Agustín Parise, who holds two law doctorates from the Universities of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Maastricht (The Netherlands), where he serves as a law professor. The recording is accessible online.
The conference papers and the Tucker Lecture will be published in the Journal of Civil Law Studies, Volumes 17 (2025) and 18 (2026).
Presentations were primarily in English, with some in French, as laws at the time were published in both languages. LSU Law Dean Alena Allen and Cultural Attaché Jacques Barran (Consulate General of France in New Orleans) opened the event, as this was the Journée internationale de la francophonie.
Professor Moréteau escorted some of the participants to discover the banks of the Mississippi River on Saturday, March 22. They visited Nottaway Plantation, the Bayou Goula Church, preserved by devoted residents, and the town of Plaquemine with its large Saint John the Evangelist Church and the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site.
Conference sponsors:
Association Henri Capitant des amis de la culture juridique française, Chapitre de Louisiane
George W. and Jean H. Pugh Institute for Justice, LSU Law
Henry Plauché Dart Endowed Professorship
Hugh J. R. Robertson French and Bicentennial Fund (c/o Louis R. Koerner, Jr.)
Justice Pike Hall Distinguished Professorship
Russell B. Long Eminent Scholars Academic Chair
Supreme Court of Louisiana Historical Society
Conference Partners:
Consulat général de France à La Nouvelle-Orléans
Journal of Civil Law Studies
Juris Diversitas
Louisiana State Bar Association, Francophone Section
Louisiana State Law Institute
LSU Center of French and Francophone Studies & Chaire Senghor de la francophonie
Southern University Law Center
Link to the Conference Program
Video Recordings: link to series 1; link to series 2
Bicentennial Conference Program with Abstracts & Bios
Statewide commemoration slate of events.
Instructions for Making a Gift to the CCLS:
- Visit Givelsu.org.
- Click on “Academics.”
- Under “Which area?” select “LSU Law.”
- Skip over the “Which fund?” drop down and under “Specify a fund,” check the box that says:
“If you cannot find the fund you would like to support, please click here to make your gift.” - In the box for “Fund or area you would like to support,” type in “Center of Civil Law Studies Support Fund.”
- Enter your gift amount and click “Next” to provide payment information.
