Humboldt Law Clinic
What is a Law Clinic?
Law Clinics pursue an innovative teaching concept that combines scientific activity with practical experience at an early stage of legal training.
By working on concrete cases, Law Clinics enable students to dive into the world of practice from their seminar room. Close cooperation with civil society organizations, law firms and government agencies takes place. In this way, students get an insight into the challenges and realities of legal work. Already during the studies, knowledge in a legal area can be enriched and expanded by means of practical cases.
All this is done under the supervision and advice of employees of the Faculty of Law, who work closely with the students, support them in their activities, and establish and maintain contact with the cooperating bodies.
Originally established in the USA, the concept of law clinic has now proved its worth in various institutions throughout the world, at universities in Australia, China, UK, India, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Spain and the Czech Republic. In each country, the Clinic concept has been adapted to meet the needs of the students and has led to the development of innovative forms of teaching and learning.
What are the aims of the Law Clinic?
Law Clinics is helping a new generation of lawyers who have developed solid practical (for example attorney's) abilities at an early stage due to their practical experience during their studies, and have learned to work effectively and think strategically before an extended background of knowledge.
However, the students do not only work "for the drawer". Your work in the specific cases will benefit affected persons or organizations who are seeking advice and contribute to the successful settlement of conflicts or clarification of legal questions. The concept of the Law Clinic thus also aims at an "external effect" that leaves the university space. People seeking advice as well as organizations are decisively supported by the scientific work provided by Law Clinic's students under the supervision of the scientific staff.
The Humboldt Law Clinic
The Faculty of Law of the Humboldt University of Berlin has established one of the first law clinics in Germany as a pioneer. The Humboldt Law Clinic has existed since the winter semester 2010/2011. Here the Law Clinic Grund- und Menschenrechte launched the English-language cycle "Human Rights". In the summer semester of 2011, the topic was complemented by the German-language cycle "Exclusion and Discrimination". Both topics are currently being brought together in the "Basic and Human Rights" cycle.
The Humboldt Law Clinic ran with great success and a strong response – both among the students and the cooperating positions. It therefore proved to be a good idea to expand the Humboldt Law Clinic.
Since the summer semester of 2012, the Clinic program also includes a Humboldt Consumer Law Clinic dealing with consumer law.
For the winter semester 2012/13, the Clinic offer was extended by the Humboldt Law Clinic Internetrecht, which deals with current internet law issues.
Since summer 2016 the Refugee Law Clinic is the fourth branch of the successful Humboldt Law Clinic concept. Here, current questions of asylum and residence law are dealt with, and at the same time free and competent legal advice for refugees and migrants in Berlin is offered.
At the Humboldt University in Berlin, the work in the respective clinics is closely linked to the curriculum, so that practical experience and university teaching complement each other. The practical work is strengthened by scientific reflection. In the course of their casework, the students are confronted not only with the problems of substantive law, but also with further questions about strategic approach or morality, which are rarely discussed at the university. As far as advisory tasks are performed, this is always done in cooperation with students with lawyers.
For detailed information on the Humboldt Law Clinics, please visit the Humboldt Law Clinic Grund- und Menschenrechte, the Humboldt Law Clinic für Verbraucherrecht, the Humboldt Law Clinic Internetrecht, and the Refugee Law Clinic.