The IVR was established in Berlin in 1909 as a forum at which scholars in the fields of law, philosophy, and political science could exchange views on theoretical and practical issues related to philosophy, law, and the social sciences. Its founders, Josef Kohler and Fritz Berolzheimer, had established the Archiv fur Rechts - und Wirtschaftsphilosophie as an organ for legal and social philosophy. With the founding of IVR, the journal became its official publication. Almost from its very inception by two neo-Hegelians, the IVR broadened its scope, both ideologically and geographically.

As the organization grew, it established affiliated branches throughout the world. The American branch, known as Amintaphil, is now the largest affiliate. Virtually every European country has an affiliate, and others are located in Japan, China, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, and other parts of Asia and Latin America.

In its earliest period, such renowned scholars as Paul Vinogradoff of England, Emile Durkheim of France, and Giorgio del Vecchio of Italy were actively involved in the IVR. Its members represented Neo-Kantianism, Neo-Hegelianism, Phenomenology, Existentialism, Roman Catholic Natural Law theory, Legal Realism, and many other movements in legal and social philosophy in its publications and meetings.

The IVR currently has 44 national sections, including the Association française de philosophie du droit which publishes the Archives de Philosophie du droit. it is a yearly review, each issue concerned to a central theme of legal thinking.

Founded in 1931, with an interruption during the war, the Archives de Philosophie du droit have been recreated in 1956 by Ch. Eisenmann, H. Motulsky et Michel Villey.

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