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Sciences Po Law School Clinic
The Law School Clinics are selective one-year long courses, offered to some Sciences Po students including certain PSIA programs. These selective programs provide valuable practical experience in the chosen field of study.
Programs
The Law School Clinics are selective one-year long courses, offered to some Sciences Po students including certain PSIA programs. These selective programs provide valuable practical experience in the chosen field of study.
Places within the Clinics are limited and therefore participation is based on a competitive selection process. Please read the Clinic Rules, Selection Criteria and application procedure outlined below.
The deadline to apply is 15 June 2023 (by noon Paris time) to be considered for the 2023-2024 academic year. There is no possibility to apply for or join these courses once the Fall 2023 semester has commenced.
An online information session will be organized on 1 June 2023 at 3 pm (Paris time), admitted students at PSIA will receive an invitation with a zoom link.
| Clinic | Eligible students | Language requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Human Rights, Economic Development, and Globalization (HEDG) | First-Year Master in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action and International Development students only, including Dual Degrees and one-year degree. | English and some French (the coursework for the HEDG Clinic is taught in English but projects can be either in French or English). |
| Corporate Social Responsibility and Innovation (RISE) | First-Year students taking the concentration in Project Management, including Dual Degrees and one-year degree | French C1 level. |
| Clinique Migrations (Research and Assistance in the Field of Immigration And Asylum) | First-Year students taking the Concentration in Migration, including Dual Degrees and one-year degree. | French C1 level. |
| Justice Environnementale et Transition Ecologique (JETE) | First-Year Master in Environmental Policy students, including Dual Degrees and one-year degree. Dual degree in Environmental Science and Policies . | French C1 level (the coursework is taught in French, some projects can be either in French or English). |
| Digital Rule of Law (DIGILAW) | First-Year students taking the Concentration in Global Risks, including Dual Degrees and one-year degree. Please note that for this Clinic, a background in law is recommended. | English |
Students registered in a dual degree program or the one-year master program in global studies are also eligible.
Rules
Clinics Require a One-Year Commitment
Due to the specific requirements of the Clinic Programs and the responsibilities given to students, a one-year commitment is required for all Clinics (Fall and Spring semester).
The Clinic requires a significant time commitment from students. For example, Students may also be asked to continue working on their Clinic Projects in May-June, once they have completed their final exams.
Clinics Involve Teamwork
Students selected for the Clinics will be divided into smaller teams and assigned to work on projects within each program. All projects will be supervised by a clinical lecturer, and depending on the projects, by "tutors" (Law School Faculty members, doctoral students, lawyers, or legal experts working in business or NGOs).
Clinics are Worth 16-18 ECTS
Clinics consists of three courses (the Fall Semester Clinic Seminar, the Spring Semester Clinic Seminar and one Mandatory Clinic Elective over the course of one semester). In total, these three courses, which combine training in both theoretical and practical approaches, are worth 16-18 ECTS depending on the Clinics.
Selection Criteria
Student selection and project assignment takes into account the student’s profile, her/his motivation, the specific requirements of selected projects, and the expectations of partners.
The following elements are particularly important.
Student Motivation and Commitment
Motivation to get involved throughout the academic year on the assigned project (even if the assigned project is not your first choice) and a commitment to follow all the academic requirements for the Clinic (i.e.: the dedicated clinical seminars + mandatory elective courses).
Match between Student Background and Program Requirements.
The selection process takes into account a student’s academic and professional background and the objectives of the Clinic, the selected program and the requirements of selected projects within this program (for example, language skills and experience, as well as professional and analytical rigor, team spirit, sense of initiative, etc).
Language Skills
Depending on the project, bilingual language skills (French and English) may be required. This is the case in most projects within the RISE, JETE and Migrations Clinics.
Application Process
The application consists of a written application and an interview.
Interested and eligible students should examine the Clinic's projects preselected that will be added to a Google Drive end of May (a Sciences Po student email address is required to access this Google Drive).
All descriptions present the general objectives of the project. However, the objectives, methodology or work plan may evolve throughout the semester or the academic year… this is the professional life of a clinic.
Please read each project description all the way through and pay specific attention to the requirements for each project as well as the number of students per project. You should identify two projects for your application.
The application to the Law Clinics is not compatible with the application to a “Cooperative Project” and to the “Capstone Course “International Law in Action” offered as a Master core course in the Master in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action. Students need to pick one or the other.
Deadline
The deadline to apply is 15 June 2023, noon (Paris time). Applications will not be accepted after this time.
Written Application
Eligible Students have to apply via this Google form. A Sciences Po Student email address is required to access this form.
To be considered for admission in one of the 5 clinical programs, students must include the following documents:
- A motivation letter focusing on 2 preselected projects (in order of preference) you would like to apply for in the same clinical program (i.e. if you apply for the HEDG program, your motivation letter needs to focus on 2 of the pre-selected HEDG projects available this year); if you apply for the JETE program, your motivation letter needs to focus on 2 of the pre-selected JETE projects available this year, etc.).
- Your CV in English or French.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. We will email you to confirm receipt of your application.
Interview Process
Shortlisted applications will be invited for interviews to be conducted between 22 June and 27 June 2023. Please ensure you are available for a zoom interview during these dates in the event your application is shortlisted.
The final selection will depend on needs for each Project and on the balance within each team.
All applicants will be informed about the results of the selection by 30 June 2023.
More details about the Clinic programs
Currently there are five Clinic programs that eligible PSIA students can apply for:
Students selected for the HEDG Clinic work on projects assisting mostly non-governmental organizations to develop legal and extra-judicial strategies (research and documentation, advocacy etc.) that aim to remedy human rights violations by private and public actors of globalization and economic development and engage with global justice issues more broadly.
Clinic Structure: the HEDG Clinic lasts one year. In addition to the year-long Clinic Seminar itself, students must also take a mandatory elective course in their first (Fall) semester, "Human Rights and Sustainable Development: From Theory to Action," taught by Jeremy Perelman at PSIA (18 ECTS in total).
The Clinic Seminar validates the Enhanced Master Option requirement for the Fall and the Spring semesters. The mandatory elective course counts as a master core course in the Fall semester.
Eligible Students: First-Year Human Rights and Humanitarian Action and International Development students only. Dual degree students and students registered in the one-year degree at PSIA who are enrolled in the Human Rights and Humanitarian Action and in International Development programs.
Language of Instruction: English and French. The coursework for the HEDG Clinic is taught in English but projects can be in either French or English.
Time Commitment: Clinical seminars entail 24 hours of training in classrooms per semester, which will take place on Thursdays from 7:15 pm to 9:15 pm throughout the academic year. The Mandatory Elective is an additional 24 hours of contact time in the Fall semester. Teamwork on projects represents an average of half a day per week.
Students selected for the RISE Clinic work on projects relating to corporate social responsibility and social innovation initiatives, particularly in support of legal / CSR / ethics & compliance/human rights departments of companies, as well as in partnership with other actors and institutions from both the public and the private sector. While some of the team projects can be in either French or English, the program and courses are taught in French: an advanced level (C1) is therefore required to participate.
Clinic Structure: the RISE Clinic lasts one year. In addition to the year-long Clinic Seminar itself, students must also take a mandatory elective course, “Innovation sociale: agir pour une transition durable” taught in the Fall semester by Romain Slitine at PSIA (18 ECTS in total).
- For students registered in a simple 2-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Project Management concentration:
- Semester 1: The Clinic Seminar validates the Project Management concentration requirement for the Fall semester and the mandatory elective course counts as a “special feature”.
- Semester 2: The Clinic Seminar validates the Project Management requirement for the Spring semester.
- For students registered in a dual degree or a one-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Project Management concentration:
- Semester 1: The Clinic Seminar validates the Project Management concentration requirement for the Fall semester and the mandatory elective course counts as the second Project Management concentration course that needs to be taken during the first year at PSIA. Students will take 2 master core courses instead of 3.
- Semester 2: The Clinic Seminar validates the Project Management concentration requirement for the Spring semester. Students will take 3 master core courses instead of 2.
Eligible Students: First-Year students and Dual degree students and students registered in the one-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Project Management concentration.
Language of Instruction: French. Both courses are taught in French (but some discussions will be held in English).
Time Commitment: Clinical seminars entail 24 hours of training in classrooms per semester, which will take place on Thursdays from 7:15 pm to 9:15 pm throughout the academic year. The Mandatory Elective is an additional 24 hours of contact time in the Fall semester. Teamwork on projects represents an average of half a day per week
Students selected for the Migrations Clinic will work on projects focused on legal / administrative assistance for migrants and asylum seekers. Students will also conduct empirical research projects for the association and its partners. The program is taught in French (C1).
Clinic Structure: The Migrations Clinic lasts one year. In addition to the year-long Clinic Seminar itself, students must take a mandatory elective course, “Governing Migration in Europe and Beyond: Categories, Policies, Actors” taught by Céline Cantat and Thibaut Jaulin in the Fall semester at PSIA (18 ECTS in total).
- For students registered in a simple 2-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Migration concentration:
- Semester 1: The Clinic Seminar validates the Migration concentration requirement for the Fall semester and the mandatory elective course counts as a “special feature”.
- Semester 2: The Clinic Seminar validates the Migration concentration requirement for the Spring semester.
- For students registered in a dual degree or a one-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Migration concentration:
- Semester 1: The Clinic Seminar validates the Migration concentration requirement for the Fall semester and the mandatory elective course counts as the second Migration concentration course that needs to be taken during the first year at PSIA. Students will take 2 master core courses instead of 3.
- Semester 2: The Clinic Seminar validates the Migration concentration requirement for the Spring semester. Students will take 3 master core courses instead of 2.
Eligible Students: First-Year students and Dual degree students and students registered in the one-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Migration concentration.
Language of Instruction: French.
Time Commitment: Clinical seminars entail 24 hours of training in classrooms per semester, which will take place on Thursdays from 7:15 pm to 9:15 pm throughout the academic year. The Mandatory Elective is an additional 24 hours of contact time in the Fall semester. Teamwork on projects represents an average of half a day per week.
Students selected for the JETE Clinic will work on projects focused on environmental issues. While some of the team projects can be in either French or English, the program and courses are taught in French: a good advanced level (C1) is therefore required to participate.
Clinic Structure: The JETE Clinic lasts one year. In addition to the year-long Clinic seminar itself, students must take a mandatory elective course “Introduction au droit de l’environnement et techniques de mise en oeuvre” taught by Luca d'Ambrosio at PSIA in the Spring semester (18 ECTS in total).
The Clinic Seminar validates the Enhanced Master Option requirement for the Fall and the Spring semesters. The mandatory elective course counts as a master core course in the Spring Semester in the “Governance” block taken in addition to a master core course in the “Climate” block.
For students registered in a dual degree or a one-year degree at PSIA: the Clinic Seminar validates the master core course that needs to be taken in the “Governance” block; the mandatory elective course counts as a special feature course in the Spring Semester taken in addition to a master core course in the mandatory block on “Climate”.
Eligible Students:
- First-Year Students enrolled in the Master in Environmental Policy
- Dual degree students and students registered in the one-year degree at PSIA who are enrolled in the Environmental Policy program
- Dual degree in Environmental Science and Policies
Language of Instruction: French.
Time Commitment: Clinical seminars entail 24 hours of training in classrooms per semester, which will take place on Thursdays from 7:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. throughout the academic year. The Mandatory Elective is an additional 24 hours of contact time during the Spring semester. Teamwork on projects represents an average of half a day per week.
- How can the values and rights needed to sustain democracies and the common good be upheld and ensured in our digital world?
- What is the role of the law in this environment where technologies, infrastructures, big players and users themselves construct normativities beyond the law itself?
DIGILAW will involve teams of students and researchers working on action-research projects addressing these issues, designed in collaboration with a range of partners from civil society, public institutions and private actors.
Clinic Structure: The DIGILAW Clinic lasts one year. In addition to the year-long Clinic Seminar itself, students must take a mandatory elective course, “AI and Data Governance” taught by Beatriz Botero Arcila in the Fall semester at the Law School (16 ECTS in total).
- For students registered in a simple 2-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Global Risks concentration:
- Semester 1: The Clinic Seminar validates the Global Risks concentration requirement for the Fall semester and the mandatory elective course counts as a “special feature”.
- Semester 2: The Clinic Seminar validates the Global Risks concentration requirement for the Spring semester.
- For students registered in a dual degree or a one-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Global Risks concentration:
- Semester 1: The Clinic Seminar validates the Global Risks concentration requirement for the Fall semester and the mandatory elective course counts as the second Global Risks concentration course that needs to be taken during the first year at PSIA. Students will take 2 master core courses instead of 3. An optional course (Special feature or Language) is mandatory in order to compensate 2 missing credits.
- Semester 2: The Clinic Seminar validates the Global Risks concentration requirement for the Spring semester. Students will take 3 master core courses instead of 2.
Eligible Students: First-Year students and Dual degree students and students registered in the one-year degree at PSIA who have selected the Global Risks concentration.
Language of Instruction: English.
Time Commitment: Clinical seminars entail 24 hours of training in classrooms per semester, which will take place on Thursdays from 7:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. throughout the academic year. The Mandatory Elective is an additional 24 hours of contact time during the Fall semester. Teamwork on projects represents an average of half a day per week.
For further information:
- About the application process and the Clinic projects, please contact: clinique.droit@sciencespo.fr
- About the courses and the requirements, please contact your academic team
