History of the Legal Professions
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students critical tools in order to understand the historical development of European legal profession, finding continuities and discontinuities between past and present.
The learning objective of the course, therefore, is to illustrate the dynamics leading to the discipline of legal profession nowadays, especially focusing on the organization and the rules of legal profession from the 12th to the 20th century.
The learning objective of the course, therefore, is to illustrate the dynamics leading to the discipline of legal profession nowadays, especially focusing on the organization and the rules of legal profession from the 12th to the 20th century.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will have to demonstrate
- to know the notions underlying the development of legal profession from the Middle Ages to modern period (Knowledge and understanding)
- the ability to reflect upon the distinctive features of legal profession in different historical contexts (Applying knowledge and understanding)
- critical awareness of the role of lawyers in the evolution of European law and on the different matters related to legal profession in historical perspective, through optional written exercises (Making Judgements).
- to write and to speak about the concepts learned during the course, with appropriate language and methodical precision (Communication skills).
- to understand the relationship between advocacy and judiciary, on the one hand, and politics and society, on the other hand, and also a strong capacity for comparing the past and present (Learning skills)
- to know the notions underlying the development of legal profession from the Middle Ages to modern period (Knowledge and understanding)
- the ability to reflect upon the distinctive features of legal profession in different historical contexts (Applying knowledge and understanding)
- critical awareness of the role of lawyers in the evolution of European law and on the different matters related to legal profession in historical perspective, through optional written exercises (Making Judgements).
- to write and to speak about the concepts learned during the course, with appropriate language and methodical precision (Communication skills).
- to understand the relationship between advocacy and judiciary, on the one hand, and politics and society, on the other hand, and also a strong capacity for comparing the past and present (Learning skills)
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The legal profession is still one of the main vocational opportunities for Law graduates. The social, cultural and economic transformations occurred in the current historical phase have transformed the exercise and the organization of the legal profession (as far as regards, for instance, the overcoming of the borders of national legal systems due to globalization or the need for updating and specialization in various areas of the legal system, also because of the "new" rights deriving from technological innovation), thus urging to consider the specific function of the lawyers in a historical perspective.ù
The course aims at describing the historical evolution of legal profession in Italy and Europe, with particular regard to the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the independence of the lawyers and the effectiveness of the right to counsel.
Some crucial issues affecting historical and current debate over legal profession, such as the bar associations, the legal ethics, the relationship between advocacy and judiciary, the debate on training and access to the legal professions, the admission of women to the advocacy and the judiciary, the access to justice.
The course aims at describing the historical evolution of legal profession in Italy and Europe, with particular regard to the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the independence of the lawyers and the effectiveness of the right to counsel.
Some crucial issues affecting historical and current debate over legal profession, such as the bar associations, the legal ethics, the relationship between advocacy and judiciary, the debate on training and access to the legal professions, the admission of women to the advocacy and the judiciary, the access to justice.
Prerequisites for admission
-As requested by the didactic regulation: in particular, Institutions of Private Law and Constitutional Law are prepararory
Teaching methods
Attendance to classes is strongly recommended although not compulsory. The teaching is delivered through frontal lectures aimed primarily at the acquisition of knowledge and competence of the subject. Discussion with the teacher in the classroom on case studies is integrant part of the didactic method and aims at promoting a critical attitude and the capacity to argumentation.
Meetings with professors, lawyers and judges focus on specific topics in historical and current perspectives.
The teaching is also based on didactic material and sources provided on myAriel.
Meetings with professors, lawyers and judges focus on specific topics in historical and current perspectives.
The teaching is also based on didactic material and sources provided on myAriel.
Teaching Resources
For attending students teaching materials and texts will be available on the Ariel web portal.
For not-attending students, the exam will take place on these texts:
1. R. Bianchi Riva, L'avvocato tra ricerca della verità e difesa del cliente. Una conciliazione possibile? / / Search for truth and defend the client: can a lawyer do both?, in «Italian Review of Legal History», 2, 2017, n. 13 https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/irlh/article/view/12843/12065
2. R. Bianchi Riva, Il dovere di verità fra tecniche della difesa e deontologia forense nel medioevo e nell'età moderna / The duty to the truth: defense techniques and legal ethics in the Middle Ages and early modern period, in «Italian Review of Legal History», 1, 2015, n. 4 https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/irlh/article/view/12519/11769
3. R. Bianchi Riva, Verso il codice deontologico forense. L'autonomia dell'avvocatura nell'Italia repubblicana, in "Historia et ius", 17, 2020, paper 13
https://www.historiaetius.eu/uploads/5/9/4/8/5948821/bianchi_riva_17.pdf
4. R. Bianchi Riva (a cura di), Per i 150 anni degli ordini forensi. Dialogo tra università e avvocatura su indipendenza della professione e tutela dei diritti (in corso di pubblicazione)
5. R. Bianchi Riva, The Legal Profession, Politics and Public Opinion: Some Reflections on the Independence of Lawyers and the Rule of Law in Modern Italy, in «Giornale di storia costituzionale» / «Journal of constitutional history», 44 / II, 2022, pp. 63-79
https://eum.unimc.it/it/catalogo/793-journal-of-constitutional-history-giornale-di-storia-costituzionale-n-44-22022
6. R. Bianchi Riva-C. Spaccapelo (a cura di), Parità di genere e professioni legali. Una lunga storia , Milano, Milano University Press, 2023, limitatamente alle pp. da 7 a 38
https://doi.org/10.54103/milanoup.138
7. R. Bianchi Riva, Parità di genere e indipendenza dell'avvocatura tra prospettive storiche e contemporanee, in «Italian Review of Legal History», 10/2, 2024, pp. 441-458
https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/irlh/article/view/27629/23134
For not-attending students, the exam will take place on these texts:
1. R. Bianchi Riva, L'avvocato tra ricerca della verità e difesa del cliente. Una conciliazione possibile? / / Search for truth and defend the client: can a lawyer do both?, in «Italian Review of Legal History», 2, 2017, n. 13 https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/irlh/article/view/12843/12065
2. R. Bianchi Riva, Il dovere di verità fra tecniche della difesa e deontologia forense nel medioevo e nell'età moderna / The duty to the truth: defense techniques and legal ethics in the Middle Ages and early modern period, in «Italian Review of Legal History», 1, 2015, n. 4 https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/irlh/article/view/12519/11769
3. R. Bianchi Riva, Verso il codice deontologico forense. L'autonomia dell'avvocatura nell'Italia repubblicana, in "Historia et ius", 17, 2020, paper 13
https://www.historiaetius.eu/uploads/5/9/4/8/5948821/bianchi_riva_17.pdf
4. R. Bianchi Riva (a cura di), Per i 150 anni degli ordini forensi. Dialogo tra università e avvocatura su indipendenza della professione e tutela dei diritti (in corso di pubblicazione)
5. R. Bianchi Riva, The Legal Profession, Politics and Public Opinion: Some Reflections on the Independence of Lawyers and the Rule of Law in Modern Italy, in «Giornale di storia costituzionale» / «Journal of constitutional history», 44 / II, 2022, pp. 63-79
https://eum.unimc.it/it/catalogo/793-journal-of-constitutional-history-giornale-di-storia-costituzionale-n-44-22022
6. R. Bianchi Riva-C. Spaccapelo (a cura di), Parità di genere e professioni legali. Una lunga storia , Milano, Milano University Press, 2023, limitatamente alle pp. da 7 a 38
https://doi.org/10.54103/milanoup.138
7. R. Bianchi Riva, Parità di genere e indipendenza dell'avvocatura tra prospettive storiche e contemporanee, in «Italian Review of Legal History», 10/2, 2024, pp. 441-458
https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/irlh/article/view/27629/23134
Assessment methods and Criteria
- Method: oral exam
- Type of examination: oral interrogation
- Evaluation criteria: capacity to demonstrate and elaborate knowledge; quality of exposition, efficacy, clarity; the use of specialised lexicon; capacity for critical reflection
- Type of evaluation method: mark in 30s
The format of the exam for students with disabilities should be arranged in advance with the professor, as well as the relevant office.
- Type of examination: oral interrogation
- Evaluation criteria: capacity to demonstrate and elaborate knowledge; quality of exposition, efficacy, clarity; the use of specialised lexicon; capacity for critical reflection
- Type of evaluation method: mark in 30s
The format of the exam for students with disabilities should be arranged in advance with the professor, as well as the relevant office.
IUS/19 - HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN LAW - University credits: 6
Lessons: 42 hours
Professor:
Bianchi Riva Raffaella
Professor(s)