The first edition of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw Day is behind us! What happened?
On 25 September 2026, the first Faculty Day of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw took place. The event gathered the Faculty's community – students, alumni, academic and administrative staff, as well as invited guests and secondary school students. The day's programme combined a solemn Faculty Council meeting, the presentation of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw Diamonds, lectures for high school students, and an evening concert on the Main Campus of the University of Warsaw.
SOLEMN FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
The Faculty Day began at 12:00 with a solemn Faculty Council meeting. A special point of the session was the presentation of the Faculty Diamonds – distinctions awarded to alumni of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw who, through their activities and achievements, contribute to building its prestige. The Rector of the University of Warsaw, Professor Alojzy Z. Nowak, PhD, participated in the session.
This year, the distinctions were awarded to Professor Józef Okolski, PhD, Cezary Stypułkowski, PhD, and attorney Jolanta Nowakowska-Zimoch.
Professor Józef Okolski, PhD, was associated with the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw for over half a century, where, among other roles, as Dean, he significantly developed the Faculty's premises infrastructure. Cezary Stypułkowski, PhD, an alumnus of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw, is a distinguished banker, long-time CEO of Bre Bank, and currently the President of the Management Board of Bank Pekao S.A. Attorney Jolanta Nowakowska-Zimoch, also an alumna of the Faculty, is a respected attorney, Managing Partner of the Warsaw office of the law firm Greenberg Traurig.
The presentation of the Diamonds was an opportunity to meet representatives of various generations of alumni of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw. The laureates recalled their connections with the Faculty, shared experiences from their professional careers, and pointed out the challenges currently facing legal professionals.
The solemn Faculty Council meeting was also an occasion to thank Professor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, PhD, and Professor Piotr Kruszyński, PhD, who concluded their work at the Faculty due to retirement. During the meeting, their many years of contribution to the teaching and research activities of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw and the education of successive generations of lawyers were highlighted.
LECTURES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Another part of the programme consisted of open lectures aimed at secondary school students. High school classes, including groups from outside Warsaw, participated in the event.
Filip Elżanowski, PhD habil., delivered a lecture entitled "Energy as the «Fifth Estate» – Legal and Economic Context". The topic of the presentation was the legal and economic conditions for the functioning of the energy sector and its significance in a modern state.
Another distinguished point was the lecture by Marcin Matczak, PhD habil., entitled "Spirit or Letter – The Eternal Dilemma of Lawyers". The meeting was dedicated to one of the fundamental problems related to the interpretation of law and the application of regulations.
The lectures provided an opportunity to learn about the topics undertaken at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw and to meet the Faculty's lecturers directly.
EVENING CONCERT
The culmination of the Faculty Day was an open-air concert in front of the Old BUW on the Main Campus of the University of Warsaw. Emka, Zippy Ogar, and Lordofon performed on stage.
The concert gathered students, alumni, staff, and friends of the Faculty, constituting a less formal part of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw Day celebrations and an opportunity for a communal gathering outside the lecture hall walls.
The first edition of the Faculty Day combined academic and solemn events with a meeting of the entire community of our Faculty. We hope that the event will become a permanent fixture in the calendar of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw.