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The aim of this paper is to analyse the origins, the development, and the long-term impact of the Critical Legal Movement (mouvement “Critique du droit”). Created some thirty years ago, this movement resulted from the collective mobilization of legal experts and political scientists across French cities. Referring mainly to Marxist theories, the Critical Legal Movement argued that law is deeply embedded in its social and political context, and should thus be analyzed through an interdisciplinary approach. Building on this critical perspective, the movement developed a scientific project and teaching methods, which both differed from and opposed the way in which law was traditionally taught and studied in French law schools. The movement itself no longer exists; nevertheless, it had far-reaching consequences on the study of law. Indeed, the Critical Legal Movement was an opportunity to successfully explore alternative teaching methods and to create high quality research institutions.