The Renewal of Distribution Law

April 23 & 24, 2026

Conference organized by the Laboratory for Innovation, Communication, and Markets (LICeM, UR-UM 213), with support from the Social Sciences Division of the University of Montpellier, the SVA consulting firm, and the CIAM Serge Lazareff.

Under the academic supervision of Jean-Louis Respaud, Associate Professor (HDR), University of Montpellier,
& Mélanie Cescut-Puore, Doctor of Law, qualified as an Associate Professor, University of Montpellier

Distribution law has long served as a testing ground for innovation in contract law, competition law, and other legal disciplines, notably through the concept of contractual solidarity, the Doubin Act of 1989, and the application of antitrust law. 

The question now arises as to whether this catalytic role will endure in the face of new practices (online distribution, direct-to-consumer channels, partnerships) and emerging legal issues (digital law, compliance, environmental law, and agri-food law). 

These two days are therefore intended to assess the legacy of distribution law and examine its future along two lines: first, by revisiting its connections with traditional disciplines, and second, by exploring its interactions with new areas of law.

Program