ELSA
Law Schools

Are intensive international legal courses for students and young lawyers from all over the world that usually last for one or two weeks. They provide a combination of academic, social and cultural experience taking place in one of the various destinations, such as Barcelona, Geneva, Vienna, Zadar and many others. Academic programme is provided by top Universities and international Law Firms and many other public or private institutions. The course is based upon a practical skills training in one of the legal fields. Due to the fact that the working language is English and participants and speakers come from all over the world, they are very unique for their truly international environment. Choose your field of law, choose your destination, apply and enjoy the unique price.

  • Available for both ELSA members and non-members.

  • Taking place during Summer and Winter.

  • Significant scholarships for ELSA members.

  • Various destinations all over the Europe.

Become a participant.
ELSA Moot Court
Competition

Is a simulated hearing of the World Trade Organization dispute settlement system, started out in 2002, and since then it has become one of the most important Moot Court Competitions in the world. Its aim is to provide students with a unique possibility to stand in front of the WTO experts and defend cases as in a real life. The experience gained through such a practice-oriented activity will contribute to the presentation, legal argumentation and teamwork skills of the participants regardless of in which field of law they specialise during their career. The competition consists of 3 stages: Written Submissions, Regional Rounds and the Final Oral Round, during which best 20 teams from all over the world plead in front of the top lawyers at the premises of the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland. This is your chance to prove your trade law knowledge, exercise your skills and be identified as a future trade lawyer!

  • Available for both ELSA members and non-members.

  • Taking place once per year, starting in September.

  • Worldwide competition, 5 Regional Rounds, 1 Final Oral Round.

  • Close cooperation with World Trade Organization.

Find Out More.
ELSA Legal
Research Group

Is a network wide project of ELSA that aims to make a real impact on the legal world through legal research. Our members, divided into national groups, are asked to research specific questions with the aim to compile a national report to allow for international comparison. The whole project organised in partnership with respected organisations, amongst others the Council of Europe, and academics will conclude each year in the compilation of a final publication that aims to provide a comparative perspective to a hot legal topic. This publication will be presented at the closing conference and could serve as the basis for further legal research throughout the world. Each participant will receive a certificate of participation, a mention in an international research publication and  a stepping stone to become a speaker at international conferences. Become a published researcher and make a difference to the legal world through research.

  • Available for both ELSA members and non-members.

  • Taking place once per year, starting in October.

  • Become a co-author of an International legal publication.

  • Work with Council of Europe, leading academics and professionals.

Join the Legal Research.
Other Activities

Do you want to see more opportunities?

ELSA provides all young people interested in legal education with a much broader scope of activities. Throughout the whole year, our national and local chapters organize various different events such as seminars, conferences, study visits, institutional visits, essay competitions, negotiation competitions, practical workshops etc. Therefore, feel free to contact the local group at your university. They will be very happy to enroll you into ELSA activities. Join us and improve your CV.

  • Most of our activities are available for both ELSA members and non-members.

  • Most of our activities take place throughout the whole year.

  • Are focused on academic, cultural and social programme.

  • Meet law students and young lawyers from all over the world.

See other international opportunities.
Opportunities for ELSA members

ELSA members enjoy numerous benefits, including special participation fees on our activities, international environment, LLM scholarships, traineeship programme and much more. Above all, we are proud to be one of the most diverse student organisations in the world giving our members the opportunity to meet people from different cultures, different legal systems, ensure their personal growth and prepare them for their future career.

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Opportunities for non-members

As a law student without an ELSA membership, young lawyer or ELSA Alumni, your opportunities in ELSA are not that broad as those of the ELSA members. However, you are still able to join some of our activities even without membership.

Become a member.
ELSA
Delegations

Are a unique opportunity to represent ELSA at the most important sessions of the main international organisations, by which ELSA has been recognised as an observing member. As an ELSA Delegate you will gain first hand insight through observing the daily work of the institutions and acquire knowledge of the specific session topics. You can represent our network in the international hubs as Geneva, Vienna, New York and others. During the meetings you will have a chance to network with professional diplomats, law students and young lawyers from all over the world, while adding a distinctive line to your CV. Calls for Delegations are announced approximately every 2 months on this page. Take your chance, apply and join the meetings of WIPO, UNCITRAL, UN ECOSOC, Council of Europe and many others!

  • Available for ELSA members and ELSA Alumni only.

  • Calls for delegates every second month.

  • Unique chance to join non-public international sessions.

  • Various international institutions all over the world.

Become a Delegate.
European Human Rights
Moot Court Competition

The Competition simulates the procedure of complaints to the European Court of Human Rights. It enables students to gain practical experience as well as to deepen their knowledge on the use of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The trend concerning the functioning of the European Human Rights system is to increase the role of national courts in these matters and to reduce the case burden of the European Court of Human Rights. As a consequence, Council of Europe member states will need lawyers with a strong command of the European Convention on Human Rights and its implementation on national level. Therefore, the EHRMCC has a significant impact on the way future lawyers understand and apply the European Convention on Human Rights. The Moot Courts itself is based on two stages, Written Submissions and Final Oral Round, during which best 16 teams will experience a pleading at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. The winning team of the Competition has a chance to take a traineeship at the European Court of Human Rights.

  • Available for both ELSA members and non-members.

  • Taking place once per year, starting in August.

  • Meet judges from the European Court of Human Rights.

  • Close cooperation with Council of Europe.

Find out more.
Student Trainee
Exchange Programme

This programme provides ELSA members with a broad catalogue of international traineeships to apply for. Our aim is to ensure that law students and young lawyers have the possibility to gain work experience abroad. The traineeships are various, they last between 2 weeks and 2 years, cover different legal areas and require different qualifications. Most often the traineeships are with law firms, public institutions, auditing companies, international organisations, etc. How is STEP different? In comparison to other traineeships programmes, ELSA provides the trainees with personal approach throughout the traineeship, i.e. ELSA provides assistance to trainees with finding accommodation, obtaining visas and organising social events to involve the trainee in the daily life of the local community. Make the most out of ELSA membership, apply, gain practical legal experience and live the culture of another country!

  • Available for ELSA members only.

  • Traineeships are published twice per year, in November and in April.

  • Hundreds of traineeships all over the Europe and beyond.

  • Worlds’ leading legal employers since 1984.

Become a legal trainee.