HEAD - Hautes Etudes Appliquées du Droit

What HEAD - Hautes Etudes Appliquées du Droit does

HEAD — Hautes Etudes Appliquées du Droit — is a private French law school founded in 2012 by lawyers from Mayer Brown and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, positioned as the first private law school in France. It delivers a 5-year Grande École program in business law structured as a three-year Bachelor followed by Mastère 1 and Mastère 2, with the Mastère 2 conferring the RNCP Level 7 "Juriste d'Affaires" certification (No. 39587). The curriculum combines French business law, management, communication, and up to 60% English-language instruction at the graduate level, taught by 200+ practicing lawyers and academics. Four specialization modules sit on top of the Mastère 2 core (Contrats d'Affaires; Droit du Numérique & PI; Droit Social & RH; Droit des Sociétés & Fusions-Acquisitions), alongside an LLM in Law and Business (100% English), an Executive Mastère Office Manager (RNCP Level 6), a Prépa Passerelle bridging semester, and a VAE professional-validation pathway.

The school operates three delivery channels: a Paris campus at 120 rue La Fayette, a Bordeaux campus at 9 rue Sicard, and a Digital Campus offering the Mastère 2 fully online via an e-learning platform with live and asynchronous content. Distribution is direct-to-student through the ecolehead.fr portal, social media, open-house evenings, webinars, and a network of 150+ employer/law firm partners and 7 international universities (Cardozo, IE Madrid, Griffith Dublin, Jindal, Miami). Strategic partnerships include a joint Magistère degree with Université de Bordeaux, a double-degree Mastère 2 in tax law with FACO, and a CFA (apprenticeship training center) established in March 2021 to access OPCO/employer-funded alternance revenue.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition fees ranging from €7,500/year (Bachelor) to €14,500-€15,500 (LLM and Executive Office Manager), with alternance programs fully funded by employers and OPCO at no cost to students, plus ancillary VAE coaching at €110/hour. Disclosed outcomes include 93% Mastère 2 employment rate within six months, average starting salaries of €43,000 (LLM) and €54,000 (Office Manager), and multiple Eduniversal #1 rankings across regional specializations. The institution is privately held, founder-led, and not backed by disclosed private-equity or venture-capital investors.

Name

HEAD - Hautes Etudes Appliquées du Droit

Legal name

Ecole HEAD - Hautes Etudes Appliquées du Droit

Website

https://ecolehead.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HEAD is a private French law school founded in 2012, offering a 5-year Grande École program in business law across Paris, Bordeaux, and a Digital Campus. It delivers RNCP-certified Juriste d'Affaires training to post-baccalaureate students, international LLM candidates, and working professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH)

Keywords

• Legal education services
• Business law training
• Graduate law programs
• Executive legal certification
• Professional law school

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - Degree Programs: HEAD generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged across its Bachelor, Mastère 1, Mastère 2, LLM, Executive, and Office Manager programs. Fees range from €7,500 to €15,500 per year depending on program and format. Alternating programs (apprentissage/professionnalisation) are funded by employers and OPCO with no tuition cost to students.
2. VAE (Validation of Prior Experience) Fees: Revenue fromValidation des Acquis de l'Expérience services, including optional coaching sessions at €110/hour and administrative fees for dossier processing and jury evaluation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HEAD is a private French law school delivering RNCP-certified business law education from Bachelor (Bac+1 to Bac+3) through Mastère 1 and Mastère 2 (Bac+4 and Bac+5), plus a 100% English LLM, an Executive Mastère Office Manager, and a Prépa Passerelle bridge program. Programs are delivered in-person at Paris and Bordeaux campuses or fully online through the Digital Campus, with alternating formats funded by employers and OPCO. The core offering combines legal theory, business management, English-language instruction, and professional immersion via internships/apprenticeships, the Law Clinic, and the Research Laboratory.

Product overview

HEAD is a private French law school offering a comprehensive portfolio of legal education programs from undergraduate (Bachelor) through graduate (Mastère 1 and 2) levels, plus professional certifications. The core offering centers on the 5-year Grande École program concluding with RNCP Level 7 Business Lawyer certification. Students progress from Bachelor (years 1-3) to Mastère 1 then Mastère 2 with specialization choices. Specialization modules (Contrats d'Affaires, Droit du Numérique & PI, Droit Social & RH, Droit des Sociétés & Fusions-Acquisitions) complement the core Mastère 2 curriculum. Additional programs include LLM (100% English), Mastère Office Manager (RNCP Level 6), Magistère (partnership with University of Bordeaux), Prépa Passerelle bridge program, Campus Digital online delivery, and VAE professional validation. The institution operates campuses in Paris and Bordeaux with digital learning options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor Droit & Pratique des Affaires Three-year undergraduate program (post-bac to Bac+3) in business law providing foundational legal knowledge with practical application. Covers constitutional, family, property, obligations, criminal, and administrative law with English-language components, aimed at high school graduates or L1/L2 entrants seeking admission via parallel entry to years 2 or 3.
• Mastère 1 Droit & Pratique des Affaires One-year graduate program (Bac+4 level) combining business law and management teachings with advanced legal competencies and practical business understanding, available in initial (stage) or alternating (alternance) training rhythm. Targeted at Bac+3 graduates.
• Mastère 2 Droit & Pratique des Affaires Final-year graduate program (Bac+5 level) delivering RNCP Level 7 'Juriste d'Affaires' certification, comprising a core pluridisciplinary curriculum plus complementary specialization modules in Contracts, Digital/IP, Social/HR, or Corporate/M&A. Targeted at Bac+4 graduates.
• Mastère 2 Droit Fiscal et Gestion du Risque Pénal Double-degree program with FACO (Faculté Libre de Droit) covering tax law fundamentals, criminal business law, tax litigation, and access to bar exam preparation. Targets Bac+4 graduates seeking fiscal-law specialization.
• LLM in Law and Business 100% English-language Master of Laws program delivering RNCP Level 7 'Juriste d'Affaires' certification, covering international business law, finance, and professional skills over 500+ hours. Designed for international students with prior law degrees (Bac+4 or equivalent).
• Mastère Office Manager Executive Mastère program (RNCP Level 6) in office management covering administrative organization, accounting, HR management, project management, digital transformation, and GDPR compliance. Delivered 1 day/week over 12 months (266+ hours), targeting current or aspiring office managers, executive assistants, and administrative professionals.
• Magistère Juriste d'Affaires et Fiscalité Three-year selective diploma jointly delivered by Université de Bordeaux (degree-awarding) and HEAD (professional practical training in Paris). Combines academic law courses in Bordeaux with HEAD's professional curriculum at the Paris campus.
• Prépa Passerelle One-semester bridge program (200 hours) for students with non-law licences or foreign law degrees seeking entry into the Mastère programs, covering fundamental legal concepts and French legal vocabulary.
• VAE - Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience Experience validation procedure allowing professionals to obtain the Business Lawyer (RNCP Level 7) or Office Manager (RNCP Level 6) certifications based on prior work experience, with optional coaching at €110/hour and per-block pricing available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% employment rate within 6 months for Mastère 2 graduates (Promotion 2023)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Université de BordeauxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint delivery of the Magistère Juriste d'Affaires et Fiscalité. Université de Bordeaux awards the degree while HEAD provides professional practical training in Paris. Students attend university courses in Bordeaux and HEAD courses in Paris.
• FACO (Faculté Libre de Droit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble-degree partnership for the Mastère 2 Droit Fiscal et Gestion du Risque Pénal. FACO and HEAD jointly deliver the program, allowing students to sit for the bar examination (examen du barreau).
• Cercle des Offices Managers et Secrétaires Généraux (COM'sg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with COM'sg to develop the Mastère Office Manager program, combining COM'sg's professional expertise with HEAD's innovative pedagogy.
• Cardozo Law School (Yeshiva University, New York)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership allowing Mastère 1 and Mastère 2 students to spend a semester abroad or obtain a dual degree (online or on-site in New York). Prerequisites: TOEFL 100 or HEAD English test C1.
• IE University Law School (Madrid)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational exchange partnership for Bachelor 3 and Mastère 1 students. Semester abroad option. Prerequisites: TOEFL 100, IELTS 7, Duolingo 130, or CAE/CPE.
• Griffith College Law School (Dublin)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational exchange and dual degree program for Mastère 1 and Mastère 2 students in Dublin.
• Jindal Global Law School (Sonipat, India)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange program for Bachelor 3 and Mastère 2 students at India's Jindal Global Law School.
• University of MiamimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Law Without Walls international competition (3-day collaborative program) and exchange semesters for Mastère 1 and Mastère 2 students. Students won 'Winner Innovation' medals in 2024.
• IALS (International Association of Law Schools)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEAD has been a member since 2017 of IALS, which brings together international law schools for annual exchanges on legal education.
• Mayer BrowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner law firm of HEAD. Co-founder Jean-Philippe Lambert is Managing Partner at Mayer Brown. Law firm partners serve as instructors and provide network access for students.
• Darrois Villey Maillot BrochiercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner law firm of HEAD. Co-founder Emmanuel Brochier is an associate at the firm. Partners serve as instructors.
• FieldfishermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm providing instructors for specialized programs including Droit Social & RH (Laurence Dumure-Lambert as associate), offering practical legal training.
• 150+ Employer and Law Firm PartnersmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of over 150 prestigious organizations including law firms, international companies, and institutions that participate in student placement, provide alternance positions, and offer career opportunities.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• IESEG School of Management: Triple-accredited French business school offering Master's programs with law-related tracks and a strong apprenticeship (alternance) culture. Operates in Paris and Lille, and competes for similar post-baccalaureate students entering business education.
• NEOMA Business School: French business school with campuses in Reims and Paris, offering specialized Master's programs including business law tracks. Competes with HEAD for alternance-funded business students in the same geographic regions.
• EM Lyon Business School: Top French Grande École offering Master's programs with law specializations and strong alternance offerings. Larger and more internationally recognized than HEAD, providing a benchmark for the type of scale HEAD may aspire to reach.
• ESSEC Business School: Top-tier French Grande École offering Master's in Business Law and Management as part of its MBA and specialized Mastère programs. Targets a similar high-achieving student demographic and benefits from a much stronger international brand and broader business curriculum.
• INSEEC Group: Large French private education group operating multiple schools including business programs with law components. Significantly larger and more diversified than HEAD, representing the kind of scaled private education operator that dominates the French post-bac market.
• EDHEC Business School: Leading French business school offering law-related specializations within its Master in Management and specialized programs. Operates campuses in Lille, Nice, Paris, London, and Singapore, providing the multi-geographic footprint that HEAD currently lacks.
• SKEMA Business School: Multi-campus French business school with locations in Paris, Lille, Sophia Antipolis, and international sites. Offers law-adjacent specializations within its Master in Management program and competes for the same pool of post-baccalaureate business students.

Direct peers

• Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas: France's premier public law university (Paris II), offering comprehensive law programs including business law specializations. Most established French competitor for serious law students, though it is tuition-free and research-oriented rather than practice-focused like HEAD.
• Université Paris-Dauphine: Paris-based public university with one of France's strongest business law (droit des affaires) programs at undergraduate and Master's level. Competes directly with HEAD for the same student pool seeking business law credentials, though as a tuition-free public institution it competes on price rather than service model.

Emerging players

• Pôle Universitaire Léonard de Vinci: Private Paris-based education group comprising EMLV (business school), ESILV (engineering), and ILV (law) programs. The ILV law program is a direct newer entrant in the private French law education market that HEAD pioneered.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ecolehead
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ecolehead
• Facebookfacebook.com/EcoleHEAD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/head---hautes-etudes-appliqu-es-du-droit
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecolehead

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HEAD - Hautes Etudes Appliquées du Droit