Grenoble Law SchoolLaw at the top

What is your academic background?

I began my studies with a Bachelor's degree in General Law at the University of Nantes, in the Franco-British program. In my third year, I quickly became fascinated by one subject: the civil liberties course taught by Professor Marc Joyau. Wanting to explore this subject in greater depth, I went on to complete an LLM at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom and a Master 2 at the University of Grenoble, specializing in human rights. While these experiences confirmed my interest in this field of law, they also allowed me to develop another interest: legal research. It was therefore natural for me to pursue a PhD in public law in 2017.

Can you summarize your thesis in a few lines?

My thesis aims to study a subject that is often overlooked in the field of law: soft law. It seeks to show that, in the specific field of international human rights law, soft law is not a purely uncontrolled and uncontrollable phenomenon. On the contrary, it is possible to systematize the development and use of soft law in international human rights law quite effectively by studying its legitimacy and effectiveness.
This thesis was completed under the supervision of Professor Anca Ailincai, whom I had the privilege of being the first doctoral student. Her valuable advice and guidance helped me refine my thinking, and I am grateful to her for that. In addition, my thesis received support from the Heiner Klebes Association for the Promotion of Studies on Europe and Democracy in the World, which funded part of my research. Finally, all the members of the Center for Legal Research have supported and encouraged me since the beginning of this work.
I defended my thesis on September 22, 2023, after five and a half years of work, before a jury composed of Julie Ferrero, Sébastien Van Drooghenbroeck, Thierry Garcia, Paulo Pinto De Albuquerque, and Hélène Tigroudja. I would like to thank them once again for the honor they bestowed upon me by evaluating this thesis and for their many insightful comments on my work.

Can you briefly describe the Jacques Mourgeon and René Cassin competitions?

The Jacques Mourgeon Prize of the French Society for International Law is awarded each year to a scientific work of a legal nature devoted to the knowledge or advancement of human rights at the international level. The René Cassin Prize, meanwhile, is awarded to a doctor who has completed a thesis in the field of human rights.
Thesis prizes are above all a scientific recognition of the research work that has occupied the doctoral student for several years. They are also an important encouragement for those who wish to pursue an academic career. Finally, they help finance the publication of the thesis, which is an excellent opportunity for any young doctor.

How did you feel when you received these two awards?

I am very honored that my thesis has received these two awards. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the members of the SFDI and the René Cassin Foundation for organizing these awards, but also for the very warm welcome I received at the award ceremonies. Winning these two awards has encouraged me to consider applying again to the National Council of Universities (CNU) next year, as I did not qualify this year.

What are your career plans?

I currently hold the position of Advisor to the Commissioner for Human Rights. Having worked extensively on this non-judicial body of the Council of Europe during my research, I find it very rewarding to participate in the development and implementation of its standards, but also to contribute to the dialogue with national authorities. More broadly, I am still passionate about human rights. I want to devote my career to this field, whether in academia or in an institutional setting.