The Master of Law Program at Universitas Trisakti, in collaboration with the Master of Law Program at Surabaya University, held a National Seminar titled “Normative vs Empirical, East and West, Like Oil and Water—Is a Catalyst Necessary?” on Saturday, October 26, 2024. The event began with welcoming remarks and a report from the head of the organizing committee, Dr. Simona Bustani. The opening continued with remarks from the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Universitas Trisakti, who officially opened the seminar.

Following the opening, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Universitas Trisakti and Surabaya University. This MoU is expected to strengthen collaboration between the two universities in legal research and development.

In her speech, Dr. Dra. Siti Nurbaiti, S.H., M.Hum., Dean of the Faculty of Law at Universitas Trisakti, emphasized the importance of integrating both approaches to create more comprehensive solutions to legal issues faced by society. Dr. Hwian Christianto, S.H., M.H., Dean of the Faculty of Law at Surabaya University, added that this synergy is crucial for producing relevant and applicable legal research.

The event featured several expert speakers in the field of law, including:

• Prof. Dr. J.M. Atik Krustiyati, S.H., M.S., who discussed “The Existence of Normative Legal Research.”
• Dr. Dhany Rahmawan, S.H., M.Hum., who presented on “The Existence of Empirical Legal Research.”
• Dr. Wisnu Aryo Dewanto, S.H., LL.M., who shared “Best Practices from the Netherlands.”
• Amalia Zuhra, S.H., LL.M., Ph.D., who spoke on “Best Practices from Malaysia and Australia.”

Moderator Dr. Arif Wicaksana, S.H., M.H. skillfully directed the discussion, encouraging the speakers and participants to delve deeper into the challenges and opportunities of integrating these two approaches.

With its relevant theme, this event is expected to serve as a catalyst for the development of legal studies in Indonesia, fostering further collaboration among academics, researchers, and legal practitioners from various backgrounds.

The seminar, attended by students from the Master of Law programs at Universitas Trisakti and Surabaya University, as well as legal practitioners, concluded with a discussion session on potential catalysts that could bridge normative legal studies with empirical legal research.