History

In 1810, under the French administration of the Illyrian Provinces, a complete university (Écoles Centrales) was established in Ljubljana, the provincial capital. This university had the authority to confer degrees and academic titles. In addition to law, subjects such as rhetoric, metaphysics, architecture, mathematics and mechanics, physics, chemistry and pharmacology, biology and botany, and medicine were taught. The Écoles Centrales in Ljubljana operated until the French departure in 1813, at which point the previous lyceum system was reinstated.

During the March Revolution of 1848, Slovenian intellectuals in Vienna drafted the "Programme of United Slovenia" (Program zedinjene Slovenije), which called for the use of the Slovenian language in public administration, the justice system, and education. Various groups of Slovenian intellectuals also advocated for the establishment of a Slovenian university.

In March 1849, Anton Mažgón began a series of public lectures on civil and criminal law in Slovenian in Ljubljana. After his death, these lectures were transferred to Graz, where they were continued by Joseph Krajnc. This period also saw the publication of the Official Gazette in all the languages of the Monarchy, including Slovenian, highlighting the need to develop Slovenian legal terminology and strengthening the call for legal education in the Slovenian language. This demand, championed by practising Slovenian lawyers advocating for language rights guaranteed by the Constitution, grew louder towards the end of the 19th century.

The first issue of the primary Slovenian legal journal, Pravnik slovenski (Slovenian Lawyer), was published. After initial challenges, the journal began regular publication in 1889, under the auspices of the Association of Slovenian Lawyers, established in 1888. The journal helped coordinate efforts to establish a Slovenian university, with attorney Danilo Majaron leading the project. In his articles, Majaron emphasized the importance of legal science for creating modern legal terminology, asserting that the legal profession could not thrive without it. To speed up the process, Mayor Ivan Hribar secured scholarships from the Ministry of Education for future professors at the proposed Slovenian university. These scholarships enabled six professors of the future Faculty of Law to study abroad in preparation for their academic careers.

On 1 September 1919, a Slovenian university was officially established in Ljubljana by law, consisting of five faculties: Technical, Law, Theology, Arts, and Medicine. In August of the same year, the first four professors of the Faculty of Law were appointed: Ivan Žolger from the University of Vienna, Leonid Pitamic from the University of Czernowitz (Chernivtsi), Bogumil Vošnjak from the University of Zagreb, and Ivan Žmavc, the Librarian of the University of Prague, who declined the appointment. The first Faculty Council meeting took place in Paris on 18 December 1919, as the professors were attending the Peace Conference. In its first decade, the Faculty of Law saw 332 students graduate, with 93 earning doctorates.

Upon its founding, the Faculty of Law began publishing the Zbornik znanstvenih razprav (Ljubljana Law Review), where its professors shared their research findings.

After World War II, the Faculty resumed its regular activities, though it had continued to function during the war. However, during the post-war purges and political upheavals following Yugoslavia's split with Stalin, several professors were removed from their posts. The political climate also influenced legal education, resulting in several curriculum reforms. Between 1954 and 1957, the Faculty of Law was merged with the Faculty of Economics, established in 1946, to form the Faculty of Law and Economics.

Following the war, the Faculty underwent several internal reorganizations and gained legal independence. However, reforms in higher education—such as the 1975 Law on Higher Education, the Law on Associated Labour, and the 1980 Law on Oriented Education—had a significant impact, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, leading to frequent changes in the curriculum and study programs.

After Slovenia gained independence, efforts were made to restore normalcy in higher education, culminating in the 1993 Law on Higher Education. Despite the politically driven reforms of the Yugoslav period, the Faculty of Law maintained much of its academic prestige and continued its relationships with law faculties abroad, sending junior staff for postgraduate studies at renowned foreign universities. The Faculty also played a crucial role in shaping the legal system of the newly independent Republic of Slovenia.

In 2000, the Faculty of Law moved into a new complex by the Ljubljanica River, consisting of two renovated buildings that were once part of the Ljudska pravica Printing and Publishing House. Previously, the Faculty was housed in the former regional parliament building, which now serves as the University Rectorate.

In the years ahead, the Faculty will continue its mission as Slovenia’s leading institution for legal education and research, with a focus on implementing further reforms, including a unified five-year law program.