Law and Public Administration: A Love-Hate Relationship?

Lawyers and Public Administrators have grown apart in practice and in academia. In this chapter we explore our observation that administrative lawyers have focused on the judicial perspective and on legal accountabilities for outcomes, whereas public have taken on a predominantly (instrumental?) perspective on organizational processes and measurable results. We argue that the unwillingness of both sides to communicate and cooperate is potentially harmful from citizens’ perspective, because law and public administration alike try to influence human behavior. Citizen participation, transparency in public decision making and the realization of good governance norms are subjects that may be at the basis for future exchanges and cooperation, both in academia and in public administration.