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Tuesday, 09 January 2024

Agustin Gordillo sadly passed away

Agustín Gordillo, a dear friend of the EPLO and member of its Board, as well as one of the most respected exponents of Administrative Law in the world today has sadly passed away on January 08, 2024 at the age of 85. He was born on October 22, 1938 and received a Doctorate in Law and Social Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires in 1960.

Since then, he has taught at universities in Argentina, Francia, España, Italia, United States, Great Britain, Brazil  and other countries. He was.recognized as the author of the Tratado de Derecho Administrativo y Obras Selectas, an indispensable document for any legal professional.

He was Judge at the  Administrative Tribunal of the Organization of American States, Washington, D.C. (2002-2007); Judge at the Administrative Tribunal of the International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C. (1994-2011); Judge at the Administrative Tribunal, of the International Labor Organization, Geneva (2004-2024); Judge at the Administrative Tribunal, United Nations, (2008-2009), Member, Board of Directors, European Public Law Organization (Athens, since 2003); Member, Honorary Board, Academy of European Public Law (Athens, since 2006); Member of the Board of Trustees of the European law and Governance School; Member of the European Group of Public Law (since 2013); Judge (1984-89) and President (1988-89) of the Administrative Tribunal, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, D.C..

Gordillo presided at the Fundación de Derecho Administrativo, and was professor emeritus of the University of Buenos Aires.

The EPLO expresses its sincere condolences and sympathy to his family in this difficult time.

Please find hereafter the obituary kindly written by Prof. Isaac Augusto Damsky, University of Buenos Aires.

Dear Mr. President of the Steering Committee of EPLO, Prof. Spyridon Flogaitis.

Dear friends of the European Group of Public Law all.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our most distinguished Southern - American Public Law Scholar, beloved mentor, professor and close friend, Agustín Gordillo, peacefully at his country house in Mercedes-Argentina, surrounded by the love of his wife and family. On September 12th 2015, during EPLO-Annual Regular Meeting, the Steering Committee honored him with the Laudatio. We shared the privilege of honoring him. So had done same year the Legislature of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

For more than 60 years, his thought, wit and works inspired many of us. He initiated a legal activism in Latin America that knew no precedent. His theories enabled us not only to comprehend the reality of the Argentinean and international legal context but also to improve our administrative judicial review. In a state of darkness, Agustin Gordillo was the first author to speak to us in a straight, clear and meaningful language to teach Latin Americans that the Administrative law takes place in an International open space, in a public arena within a global governance. This reality, masterfully analyzed in Europe by our dearest and most distinguished Prof. Sabino Cassese, was firstly introduced in Latin America by Agustín. He was the first to explain the Latin American community about the international and supranational scope of Public Law; the first one to show the interaction between international human rights treaties and the public administration, thirty years ago.

Agustín Gordillo would be remembered as an intellectually honest man because he was. He lived as he thought. He was a freethinker. He was only committed with the search of the Truth. No strings attached. He advocated for transparency and pioneered of technology in favor of the application of law. He was the first one to upload his Treaty and all of his works to the internet for all students to be able to access them. He was also the first to show us the need to modernize the Argentinian public administration through information technology empowerment. A revolutionary jurist and a brilliant interpreter of the realities of different times. A man full of new ideas; a center of union for those who have different conceptions within the legal community. He will ever represent a sun in the equinox, in its zenith, which will continue lighting the paths of all of us, who have decided to follow his footsteps, wherever they take us. So mote it be.

Prof. Isaac Augusto Damsky
Universidad de Buenos Aires
 

tags: agustin gordillo, admistrative law, passes away