Kalvis Torgans

Professor Kalvis Torgans graduated from the Latvia State University, Faculty of Economics and Law, Department of Law with honors in 1962. He served an internship at the State Arbitrage Court where he sat in on hearings on commercial disputes. It was from this work he drew the basis for his thesis when he earned his Canned. Sc. (Law).

He worked at Latvia University, Faculty of Economics and Law and served as Dean of the Faculty from 1976-1979. His publications include a book "Legal Means for Advancement of Scientific and Technical Progress within Industrial Enterprise" and several articles in Soviet professional journals.

In 1990 Professor Torgans participated in the foundation of the Latvian Lawyer’s Association and expressed the view that it was not enough to hold public meetings and to sing patriotic songs, but that it was necessary to work intensively on new legislative bills, research and implementation of the experience of developed countries. He traveled to Finland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, the U.S., Panama, Cyprus, Germany, France, and other countries as a leader of student exchange groups, a scientist and a singer with the vocal ensemble of the University of Latvia dance group.

During 1991-1993 Professor Torgans was a consultant of the Supreme Council (late Saeima) of the Republic of Latvia and took part in drafting more than 30 bills. He participates in working groups and provides references for bills and worked on the law reintroducing Civil Law, consumer protection law, laws of the free-ports of Riga and Ventspils, commercial law and others. As a member of the law office Lejins, Edzins, Torgans & Vonsovics, he was involved in handling the legal problems of major companies.

Professor Torgans research and teaching interests are in the areas of contract law, commercial law and consumer protection. He also devotes a large part of his time to comparative law. He has participated in seminars and conferences in the U.S., Germany, Norway, Belgium, and Italy.

He has received an award in Latvia for his legal publications; he was awarded Diploma of the Man of Achievement by the International Biographical Center, Cambridge, England, and the Gold Record of Achievement by the American Biographical Institute.