French property law is a constantly evolving field, shaped by new regulations aimed at addressing environmental and legal challenges. One key policy is the "zero net artificialization" goal from the Climate and Resilience Act of 2021, which limits the conversion of natural land into artificial surfaces. This has pushed developers and local authorities to rethink how they use land. Meanwhile, the 2019 reform of co-ownership law, introduced through a decree on October 30, has significantly changed the legal rules governing shared property ownership. In addition, new energy efficiency standards for rental housing have added layers of complexity to property management. In construction, building defects can be governed by multiple legal frameworks, such as decennial (10-year), biennial (2-year), or contractual liability, requiring careful legal analysis.
A real-world example of these challenges is a building rehabilitation project in a co-owned property intended for rental. This kind of project involves several legal steps: securing urban planning authorization, ensuring the project aligns with co-ownership regulations, drafting leases that meet new decency standards, anticipating tax implications of the chosen structure, and documenting construction guarantees before starting work. An oversight in co-ownership rules or an incomplete urban planning declaration can delay the project for months. The complexity comes not from mastering individual areas of law, but from understanding how different legal areas interact and influence each other.
To address these challenges, the Executive Master in Property and Construction Law was created. Directed by Charles Gijsbers, a professor of universities and head of the Master in Property Law and the Center for Studies and Research on Construction and Housing, the program covers all legal areas relevant to real estate operations. These include urban planning law, construction law, co-ownership law, civil and commercial leases, real estate taxation, real estate sales, and the legal status of intermediaries. The program runs over a university year, with sessions held on two consecutive days. It is taught by a team of academics, lawyers, and practicing notaries, ensuring that each legal concept is grounded in real-world professional practice.
The program is designed for professionals already working in the real estate sector, such as lawyers, notaries, company lawyers, and property managers. It is open to individuals with a Master 1 in law and at least five years of professional experience, though those with more experience can apply through a validation of acquired skills process. Upon completion, graduates receive the Master 2 in Property Law, specializing in Property and Construction Law, awarded by the University of Paris-Panthéon-Assas (code RNCP 38195).
Diploma: Master 2 in Property Law, specializing in Property and Construction Law, University of Paris-Panthéon-Assas
Duration: 214h30, in-person, sessions of two consecutive days
Fee: 6,000 euros net of taxes, training eligible for the CPF
Enrollment: January 2027, candidate applications open in June 2026
Information and application Contact: contact-aee@assas-universite.fr, 01 44 41 59 96.
New Executive Master Program Addresses Complexities in Property and Construction Law
AI-rewritten from original reportingHow it works
property-lawreal-estatelegal-educationfranceconstruction-lawco-ownership



