Academic Staff
Associate Professor Dr. Diana Lavinia BOTĂU
Academic Involvement
- Public International Law (taught in Romanian and English);
- Introduction to Comparative Law.
Education and Professional Training
- PhD in Law, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy, Bucharest (2007): State Succession to International Treaties (supervisor: Prof. Victor Duculescu);
- Master’s in Law, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (2004, Institutions and EU Regulations);
- Law Degree, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (2003).
Publications
I. Books, Book Chapters, and Studies in Collective Volumes
- Botău, Rights of Nature, Globalization and Legal Pluralism, in R. Michaels, D. Bonilla (eds.), Rights of Nature and Global Legal Pluralism, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, 2025;
- D. Botău, State Succession to International Treaties, Hamangiu Publishing, Bucharest, 2024;
- D. Botău, Should Comparatists Study the Metaverse? Mark Zuckerberg, Versace, and Comparative Law, in J. Lelieur, N.K. Okyay, S. Vernaz (eds.), La privatisation de la norme au prisme du droit comparé, mare & martin, France, 2024;
- Diana Botău, Valentin Constantin, International Law. General Part, Hamangiu Publishing, Bucharest, 2023;
- D. Botău, The Doctrine of Effects and the Principle of International Courtesy in Commercial Matters, in D.A. Popescu, S. Golub (eds.), A Family for Europe, a Europe of Families?, Hamangiu Publishing, Bucharest, 2022;
- D. Botău, The Constitutional Court of Romania and European Union Law: Friendship or Reserve?, in O.A. Macovei (ed.), The European Decade of Romania and Bulgaria: The Assessment of a Differentiated EU Membership, mare & martin;
- R. Bercea, L. Bojin, D. Botău (eds.), Do You Like Law?, C.H. Beck, Bucharest, 2019;
- D. Botău, G. Andreescu, M.O. Constantin, International Doctrine on Dealing with the Communist Past, C.H. Beck, Bucharest, 2016.
II. Articles
- D. Botău, Stepmothers of the Sources of International Law, Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai. Iurisprudentia, no. 4/2023;
- D. Botău, The Holy See and the Order of Malta in International Law: Actors, Spectators, or Historical Vestiges?, Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai. Iurisprudentia, no. 4/2021;
- D. Botău, Law and Legal Style: A Public Walk Through a (Private?) Narrative Garden, Romanian Journal of Business Law, no. 3/2020;
- D. Botău, The Constitutional Court of Romania and European Union Law: Anxiety About Influence?, New Journal of Human Rights, no. 3/2020;
- D. Botău, Identities of International Law, Romanian Journal of Comparative Law, no. 2/2020.
Recent Conferences
- Individual Autonomy, Fundamental Rights and Institutional Safeguards (ICON-S CEE & ELTE Law School; Budapest, 29-30 May 2025);
- Law, Rights and Justice, 2nd edition, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (Institute for Economic and Social Research “Gheorghe Zane”, Romanian Academy, Iași Branch – Sociology and Law Research Group; Iași, 22 November 2024);
- Judicial Dialogue and Freedom of Expression of Lawyers (UNBR & European University Institute/Florence, Centre for Judicial Cooperation; Bucharest, 14 November 2024);
- Sovereignty and Sovereignist Challenges in European and International Law (15th Biennial International Conference, Section on European and International Law; Faculty of Law, West University of Timișoara; Timișoara, 8 November 2024);
- The Dynamics of Legal Norm Interpretation – Theoretical Scenarios, Practical Applications (Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Law; Iași, 25 October 2024);
- Mastery in the History of Romanian Law: Continuity and Change in Socio-Legal Practices and Discursive Forms of Property (Faculty of History, University of Bucharest, “Nicolae Iorga” Institute of History, Research Group for the Study of Legal History & Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu; Bucharest, 17-18 October 2024);
- Conference of International Judges of Romania (Faculty of Law, West University of Timișoara; Timișoara, 10-11 May 2024);
- The Privatization of Law through the Lens of Comparative Law (International Faculty of Comparative Law, Faculty of Law, Political Science and Management, University of Strasbourg; Strasbourg, 27-28 June 2023);
- Smart Diaspora 2023: Diaspora in Higher Education, Science, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (Faculty of Law, West University of Timișoara; Timișoara, 10-13 April 2023);
- General Congress, International Academy of Comparative Law (Asunción, Paraguay, 23-28 October 2022).
Research Projects
- TRIIAL 2 – Trust, Independence, Impartiality and Accountability of Judges. Safeguarding the Rule of Law under the European Union Charter (2023-2025, partnership with European University Institute/Florence, Italy, Centre for Judicial Cooperation, UNBR);
- TRIIAL – Trust, Independence, Impartiality and Accountability of Judges and Arbitrators. Safeguarding the Rule of Law under the European Union Charter (2020, partnership with European University Institute/Florence, Centre for Judicial Cooperation, UNBR);
- e-NACT. e-learning National Active Charter Training (2018-2019, partnership with European University Institute/Florence, Centre for Judicial Cooperation);
- Nouvelles figures de l’État de droit, legitimation du pouvoir et du droit par le dialogue des cultures juridiques (2012-2015, Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of Law, in partnership with AUF and University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law);
- International Doctrine on the Treatment of the Communist Past (2014, IICCMER, Bucharest);
- Governance/Government – The Constitutional Semantics of Autonomy (2011-2015, Romanian Academic Society/SAR).
Teaching Mobilities and Research Fellowships
- 2024-2025 – West University of Timișoara, Faculty of Law, “European and International Law” program, undergraduate level (teaching)
- 2012 – New York University, School of Law (research)
- 2009 – European Law Institute, Florence, Italy (research)
- 2008 – The Hague Academy of International Law (research)
Affiliations
- Cluj Bar Association & National Union of Romanian Bars (UNBR)
- National Institute for Training and Professional Development of Lawyers (INPPA)
- Noua Revistă de Drepturile Omului (NRDO)
- American Society of International Law (ASIL)
- European Society of International Law (ESIL)
- European Association of Psychology and Law (EAPL)
- Initiative for a European Democratic Culture Association (ICDE)
- Center for International Negotiations / Babeș-Bolyai University
- World Justice Project (WJP)
- Hague Academy Association
- Student Association of International Law (SAIL)
Contests and Prizes
- 2023 – Excellentia – Annual Award for Excellence in Scientific Research, awarded by Babeș-Bolyai University;
- 2023 – “Anibal Teodorescu” Award in Public Law – for works other than those in criminal law, awarded by the Union of Romanian Jurists;
- 2012 – 2025 – Coordinator of the Faculty of Law teams in international public law moot court competitions (mooting) – Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition, Telders International Law Moot Court Competition, Concours Charles Rousseau, Jean Pictet Competition, etc.