Department -of Law
The Department
The Department of Law at Reykjavik University provides students with a solid theoretical foundation, extensive knowledge of key subjects, and opportunities to specialise in individual fields. Teaching combines lectures, practical projects, and interactive discussions, ensuring that students develop both academic knowledge and practical legal skills.
For those seeking a law degree in Iceland, Reykjavik University offers a dynamic and modern learning environment, positioning itself as a leading choice among Icelandic law schools.
Law Programmes at RU
The Reykjavik University Law program offers studies at undergraduate, graduate, and PhD levels.
- Undergraduate programmes (taught in Icelandic) prepare students for a wide range of legal careers.
- Graduate programmes, including the LLM in International Law in Iceland, provide advanced legal education and opportunities to specialise in areas such as business law, human rights, and European law.
- PhD studies allow students to conduct in-depth research and contribute to the development of Icelandic and international law.
While most courses are taught in Icelandic, selected courses are offered in English for exchange and international students. Those looking to study law abroad in Iceland can explore English-taught courses in the university’s course catalogue.
Project-Based Learning in Law
Reykjavik University places great emphasis on project-based learning. Students work on real-life problem-solving cases while maintaining a strong academic foundation, bridging the gap between legal theory and practice.
Continuing Education in Law
The Department also offers continuing education opportunities. Graduated BA and ML students may take selected ML programme courses, subject to prerequisites. Graduates of the RU Department of Law benefit from a 50% tuition discount on these courses, supporting lifelong learning and professional development.
For additional information, please get in touch with the office by sending an email to SkrifstofaLD@ru.is
Research
Research is a comprehensive factor in the work of all tenured instructors at the Department of Law. Their contribution to research in the legal field is considerable, and the work involved comprises a significant portion of their work hours. The department has set a specific research strategy for itself, and each year, it publishes a report on the research activity of instructors, which, for example, contains information on published work in reviewed journals.
In recent years, instructors at the Department of Law have been allocated grants from domestic and foreign competitive funds and have reached some very interesting results in those endeavours. Further information on instructors' level of education and research activity, including research collaboration with foreign parties, can be found on the RU home pages of instructors.
The main research areas are Tort Law, Insurance Law, Taxation Law, Labour Law, Maritime Law, Law of the Sea, Icelandic and International Law, EU/EEA Law, Constitutional Law and Legal History, Administrative Law, Comparative Constitutional Law, Social Security Law, Property Law, Human Rights Law, Criminal Law and Criminology, Capital Market Law, Company Law, Financial Law, Environmental and Resource Law, Energy Law and Competition Law.
Lögrétta Journal
The magazine is intended to be a forum for careful discussion and peer-reviewed academic articles in law. The magazine is published electronically, but you can find many academic articles there.
Research center
Internship
In master studies, students can earn credits through an internship. The Department of Law endeavours to secure an internship with a suitable institution or company for students who desire to do so. The Department has signed agreements with roughly 60 institutions and companies to provide students with internship opportunities. These include several Ministries, The Country's Largest Legal Firms, Banks, Accounting Companies, District Courts, National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police and Reykjavík Police District. Graduate students may earn up to 7,5 ECTS through accredited internships. A requirement is laid out that a student shall work under supervision on legal matters and tasks which are verifiably suitable to enhance the student's knowledge of law and ability to work on the resolution of legal assignments.
Faculty
Fields of Expertise: European Law, European Constitutional Law, Human Rights, Administrative Law, Pharmaceutical Law, and Legal Philosophy
Fields of Expertise: Securities Market Law, Corporate Law, and Financial Market Law
LinkedIn/Researchgate
Fields of Expertise: Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Information Law, and Public Employment Law
Fields of Expertise: Law of Torts, Maritime and Transport Law
Fields of Expertise: Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Human Rights, Methodology, and Legal Philosophy
Fields of Expertise: Media Law, Consumer Law, Procedural Law, Property Law, and Human Rights
Fields of Expertise: Private Procedural Law, Litigation, Competition Law, and Telecommunications Law
Fields of Expertise: Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, Sustainability, and The Regulatory Environment of Financial Institutions
Fields of Expertise: Procedural Law and Property Law
Fields of Expertise: European Law and Administrative Law
Fields of Expertise: Administrative Law, Private and Criminal Procedural Law, Tax Law, Labor Law, Data Protection, European Law, Property Law, and General Law
Fields of Expertise: International Law, Maritime Law, International Environmental Law, and Climate Law
LinkedIn/Researchgate/Orcid
Fields of Expertise: Criminal Law
Adjuncts
Part-Time Lecturers
Department Office
Department Chair
Dr Gunnar Þór Pétursson
Department Chair
Social Responsibility
The Department of Law supports the Department's student association, Lögrétta's Legal Services. Lögrétta's Legal Services offers free services to the public. A faculty member at the Department assists the Legal Service's Executive Committee with organisation and other duties. Board members receive master's level credit for their contributions to legal services (3.75 ECTS per semester).
The Department of Law offers continuing education in Law to all graduated BA and ML students by offering them to take courses in the ML programme. Participation in these courses is contingent on prerequisites, and priority is given to current students actively pursuing their degrees within the programme. The Department of Law offers a 50% tuition discount to all graduate Master's students who have graduated from the Department of Law at Reykjavík University. The discount does not apply to courses given through other study programmes or those offered by The Open University.
For additional information, please get in touch with the office by sending an email to SkrifstofaLD@ru.is
Information for students
Published with reservations for changes
About
Department Chair
The Chair of the Department is the manager of the Department and is responsible for its activities and finances towards the Rector. The Chair appoints teachers and other employees to the Department on behalf of the Rector. He initiates formulating policies for the Department and directs its day-to-day work. The Chair prepares a budget for the Department, and it must be submitted to the HR Executive Committee as part of the university's overall budget. The Chair appoints a faculty council, calls meetings, and holds regular faculty meetings.
Councils and Committees
The Curriculum Council consists of three faculty members appointed by the faculty meeting for one year, one of whom is the chairperson.
The role of the Curriculum Council is to work together with the Chair of the Department of Law on the development of BA and ML studies, including its organization and quality, arrangements for teaching, teaching methods and assessment, and to make proposals to the Department of Law regarding the above as necessary. The Curriculum Council also manages the conclusion of contracts with the department's partner institutions and companies in connection with student internships, as well as handling requests from students regarding study permits, evaluation of previous studies, and applications for internships and exchange programs.
The council includes:
- Heimir Örn Herbertsson, Senior Scientist and Chair of the Curriculum Council
- Dr. Helga Kristín Auðunsdóttir, Lector
- Dr. Arnljótur Ástvaldsson, Lector
Students
The students who achieve the best results each semester can get on the president's list and waive their school fees for the next semester.
Lögrétta: Law Student´s Organisation
Lögrétta, the Law Student´s Organisation at RU, was established in 2003. The goal of Lögrétta is to enhance academic work in the legal field both inside and outside the Department of Law.
Lögrétta protects the interests of its members and functions as a contact between law students and the administrators of the Department of Law. The president of Lögrétta looks out for the interests of law students at Department meetings, which they attend on their behalf. Lögrétta furthermore organises various fun activities for students, with the main events being the Lögrétta Day and the annual celebration, in addition to almost weekly trips to companies and institutions.
The Lögrétta Debate Society operates under the auspices of Lögrétta and holds debate meetings on those legal issues most prominent at any given time. Lögrétta also publishes the Lögrétta Journal, which is a reviewed legal journal.
Legal Service
Law students at RU provide individuals with legal counselling free of charge. The cases can be in various areas, e.g. tax issues, labour market rights, residents' rights in apartment buildings and legal issues concerning marriage and inheritance.
Faculty of Law Alumni Association
The association contributes to the structure and development of law studies at Reykjavík University's Department of Law, protects the interests of graduate students and the Department of Law, promotes relationships and cooperation between students who have graduated with a master's degree in law from Reykjavík University's Department of Law, and encourages members to participate in professional discussions about legal issues and members to participate in research in law. Those interested in becoming Alumni members of the Department of Law should contact alumnifelag@gmail.com.