Law occupies a central position within Legal Science in much the same way that the concept of number occupies Mathematics, the concept of the cell occupies Biology, and the concept of the atom occupies Physics. The term law derives semantically from the French word droit and the German Recht, both of which originate from the Latin directum, meaning a straight line or the correct direction. From this initial approach, it becomes apparent that the primary function of law is regulatory: through its rules, law governs in a binding manner the relationships among individuals living together in a society organized as a state.
Through its rules, law contains a system of regulations that are harmonized and interconnected. The legal scholar must approach these rules through specific methods in order to uncover their meaning and apply them to particular factual situations. This means that the task of the legal professional is to interpret the rules of law that are in force within a given society, at a specific place and time, and, through their application, regulate the relationships among the members of that society. To fulfill this fundamental function, legal science also requires knowledge of the history and philosophy of law, the sociology of law, and other related academic disciplines.
During their studies, law students are taught the various branches (and their subdivisions) of national substantive and procedural public and private law, criminal law, European law, and international law. More specifically, they study:
(a) Public Law: Constitutional Law, which regulates the organization of the state and the protection of fundamental rights and Administrative Law, which governs the organization and functioning of public administration and its relations with citizens.
(b) Criminal Law: The branch of law that regulates the authority of the state to define criminal offenses and impose sanctions for punishable acts.
(c) Private Law: Civil Law, which governs personal and property related legal relationships between private individuals (that is, legal subjects, natural and legal persons, who stand in a relationship of legal equality) throughout their everyday lives, from the beginning of legal personality until its termination, Labour Law, which regulates relations between employees and employers and Commercial Law, which governs commercial transactions and legal relations among traders and business entities.
(d) Procedural Law: The branch of law that determines the institutions and procedures through which civil, criminal, and administrative justice are administered.
(e) International and European Union Law: International Law, which concerns international organizations and legal relations among states as well as between private individuals across borders and European Union Law, which studies the legal order of the European Union.
(f) The History of Law, Sociology of Law, and Philosophy of Law.
A graduate of the Athens Law School, equipped with the academic training provided through successful completion of legal studies, may pursue a wide range of legal professions. These include becoming a lawyer, judge, notary public, registrar of mortgages and land records, or public prosecutor, pursuing a career in diplomacy, serving within the public administration or working as legal counsel for private enterprises.
