FRANCK MODERNE AWARD

Among the numerous merits and qualities of Professor Franck Moderne, it is undoubtedly his openness to others and to different horizons that has often impressed those who have had the privilege of working with him, whether as a professor, a colleague, or even as a thesis advisor. In addition to his in-depth study of all branches of French public law, constantly moving from one to another (administrative law and constitutional law foremost), Franck Moderne’s interest in a form of detachment through the use of comparative law and the comparative method remains noteworthy to this day. This openness to horizons and others naturally led him to go beyond French law and delve into foreign law, particularly Spanish and Latin American law. The result has been a work of uncommon richness and variety, allowing him to enjoy encounters and travels.

In 1970, he was appointed professor of public law at the University of Pau and the Adour Countries, where a few months later, he founded the Franco-Spanish Institute of Legal Studies, which would later become the Institute of Iberian and Ibero-American Legal Studies. The institute was aimed at fostering contacts between French legal scholars, among whom he was already one of the most eminent, and their Spanish colleagues. Well-versed in Iberian and Ibero-American law, Franck Moderne has forged unique bonds with Spanish jurists, transcending the boundaries of French law to study a legal system that has not been foreign to him for a long time. Through his teachings and numerous conferences, especially in Spain, he has educated numerous students beyond France. It is also this enthusiast of Iberian and Ibero-American culture that this Award seeks to honor. There is no doubt that he would have felt honored and delighted.