Abstract: The subject of the study was the theoretical heritage of prominent Russian statesmen of the second half of the XIX century – Vasily Nikolaevich Leshkov (1810-1881) and Vladimir Matveevich Hessen (1868-1920). The initial position of the concepts of "public law" and "rule of law" developed by them is the thesis that in the conditions of the formation of the rule of law, it is necessary to fully develop the institution of civil society – the sphere of manifestation of initiatives of free citizens and voluntarily formed organizations. The causal relationship of the problem of interaction between the state, society and the individual is revealed; the ideas of V. N. Leshkov and V. M. Hessen about the subjects of "public law" and "subjective law" are characterized. The concepts of "public law" and "rule of law", reflected in the theoretical heritage of V. N. Leshkov and V. M. Hessen, which has not received proper understanding to date, are characterized. An assessment is given to the conclusions of V. N. Leshkov and V. M. Gessen that society is considered as the most important subject of management activity in the state. It is concluded that in the conditions of building a developed civil society in the Russian Federation, the concepts of "public law" and "rule of law" require a comprehensive analysis and clarification of their significance for the transformation of the state-legal reality of modern Russia.

Abstract: The research subject is the public law concept reflected in the works of Russian jurist-researchers of the 19th century – Vasilii Nikolaevich Leshkkov (1810 – 1881) and Mikhail Mikhailovich Shpilevsky (1837 – 1883). The fundamental provision of the concept is the thesis that society is the key independent subject of public administration; private individuals as members of social associations obtain wider opportunities to realize their interests. The research subject is the ideas of V.N. Leshkov and M.M. Shpilevsky about objects, subjects and the subject-matter of public law; the jurist-researchers’ estimation of the public law concept of the 19th century. The research methodology is based on general scientific (historical, system, functional) and specific (formal-legal, historical-legal and comparative-legal) research methods. The author uses the methods of interpretation of legal ideas and statutory acts. The author characterizes the public law concept reflected in the theoretical heritage of V.N. Leshkov and M.M. Shpilevsky, which hasn’t been studied thoroughly enough so far. Within the public law concept society if considered as the key subject of administration; families, communities, classes and various interstate associations and everything created by the public – as the objects of public law. The author estimates Leshkov’s conclusions that public law reflects the process of emergence and development of social regulators; allows defining the specificity of public regulation of social relations within particular historical epoch, helps study the evolution of the legal system of any state. Therefore, when making important managerial decisions, it is necessary to take into account the experience of development of the public law sphere in a certain state. The author concludes that in the context of formation of civil society in the Russia Federation, the public law concept is to be analyzed, and its importance for the transformation of state and legal reality in contemporary Russia is to be understood.