Sorbonne Doctoral Law Review - Revue Doctorale de droit de la Sorbonne

Animals in the law: questioning the property / other-than-property duality

Alice/ Hugo DI CONCETTO/ MARRO-MENOTTI — 2025-06-04

This article explores the tension between the legal status of animals as property and their growing recognition as sentient beings. It traces the evolution of legal and ethical thinking on animal issues, distinguishing between two waves of thought: the first, based on individual rights and liberal rationality, and the second, more inclusive and critical, incorporating feminist, ecologist and post-colonial approaches.

The article proposes several avenues for reform, ranging from the recognition of animal legal personality to the creation of specific legal categories, but highlights the limits of these overly theoretical approaches. In practice, progress is best achieved through concrete legislative reforms (such as the French laws of 2021 or the Italian constitutional reform of 2022) and strategic litigation, aimed at enforcing or interpreting existing laws in favor of animals. In short, the article argues for a more pragmatic and coherent approach to animal protection, while calling for a move beyond traditional binary legal frameworks.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Influence in Law: Balancing Technological Advancements with Ethical Considerations

Ammar ZAFAR — 2025-06-04

The paper explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in law, discussing the ethical and practical issues that arise as well as how it affects customary legal procedures. It emphasises the shift from labour-intensive legal practice to technology-enhanced methods, with a focus on artificial intelligence's potential to improve access to legal services and streamline legal procedures. But it also highlights the ethical questions that AI raises, especially about bias and transparency, especially when dealing with delicate matters like child custody and divorce settlements. The study promotes a "human in the loop" strategy that combines human knowledge and AI techniques to mitigate biases and guarantee individualised legal results. To guarantee that AI plays a complementary function rather than a replacement one, it emphasises in its conclusion the necessity of preserving the human element in legal practises.

Artificial Intelligence Use from the Perspectives of Humanitarian and Refugee Law

Darius-Alexandru GHITA — 2025-06-04

Panorama du parcours doctoral en droit

Guillaume TOURRES — 2025-06-04

At first glance, the conditions under which a doctoral thesis is written may appear to be secondary to its completion, but the question of the doctoral process is in fact of crucial importance. There are a number of obstacles to overcome: a limited number of thesis supervisors, an uncertain career plan, inherent pitfalls and uncertainty as to whether or not the thesis will be defended. In addition to the difficulty of securing tenure at a later date, these legal and factual factors must be taken into consideration before and during their thesis for all doctoral students in law.

Ö temps, suspend ton vol ! réflexions sur la gestion du temps dans le parcours doctoral

Gabriel STETTLER — 2025-06-04

This contribution starts with the observation that time management is a key to a successful PhD. Based on the author's own experience, it offers practical tips and theoritical reflections aiming at saving time in the course of researching and teaching. First, the article covers how to "gain time" through effective planning and the use of digital tools like Zotero to streamline research. As regards teaching, time can be saved by shifting from delivering lectures to adopting a more interactive, coaching role, or by using clear guidelines for grading.

The second part of the article focuses on how to "use" the time saved. The author explains that by streamlining repetitive tasks, doctoral candidates can explore different research methods. Besides, article also stresses the importance of maintaining a balance between professional duties and personal well-being. Additionally, saving time opens up the possibility of getting involved in extracurricular activities, such as university governance or academic societies, which can enrich the doctoral experience. Ultimately, effective time management is presented not only as a way to complete a PhD but also as a key skill for a successful academic career.

Legal personality: at the borders of the living and the artificial

Marina LOVICHI — 2025-06-04

EDITORIAL RE¨PORT