The Traineeship enables law students and young lawyers to gain first-hand experience of the substantive and procedural law as well as the culture of another country. The Traineeship can range from 2 weeks to 18 months and can take place in any law-related field, including law firms, courts, governmental institutions, banks, in-house legal departments, consulting firms, and international organisations. Students benefit from hands-on experience in a foreign business environment. Since ELSA works with well-regard advisers, employers obtain students who are a good fit for their requirements. Employers and students are coordinated all year round using an online matching tool, guaranteeing a flexible and dynamic exchange program.
With a unique position inside numerous international institutions and organizations, such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe, ELSA constantly offers its members and alumni the opportunity to participate in these institutions' sessions. Participating in international decision-making and acquiring first-hand information on a variety of legal subjects offers the greatest level of practical legal education, as well as relationships with the best legal professionals in the particular sector. Nonetheless, participation in ELSA Delegation is frequently associated with high travel and lodging expenditures to places such as New York City and Geneva, making it difficult for the selected delegates to not wanting to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
More than 300 law students and young lawyers from around Europe work together in a Legal Research Group to do comparative research on a specific area of law. As a result, the Legal Research Groups provide a fantastic chance to get extensive knowledge on the law of your interest. The Council of Europe supports the Legal Research Groups, which have a large influence on society as well as legislative changes. For example, in 1996, researchers from ELSA's Legal Research Group on International Criminal Law were asked to present their findings during meetings of the United Nations Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court.
The Competition is a student-organized and run competition aiming to enhance knowledge of international trade law and WTO dispute settlement procedures. The Competition itself is a simulated hearing of the WTO dispute settlement systems, where the teams prepare and analyse a fictive case and present their arguments both for the Complainant and the Respondent. The Competition has a worldwide reach, with more than 80 teams from every continent taking part. The World Trade Organization provides technical support, as well as a number of WTO experts from across the world who volunteer their time to act as Panellists and academic advisers.
Formerly known as the European Human Rights Moot Court Competition, the Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition annually attracts more than 300 law students from all over Europe eager to improve their skills in legal writing and oral advocacy. The Competition simulates the procedure of filing an individual complaint with the European Court of Human Rights and offers students from all Council of Europe Member States a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about the principles and implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights. Each team represents both the Applicant(s) and the Respondent State in the competition, which is based on a fictitious case. This project is supported by the Council of Europe.
Internationality, concentration on a specific subject of law, and cultural and social exchanges are the fundamental characteristics of ELSA Law Schools, a project that has effectively promoted ELSA among students and young lawyers from across the world since 2015. ELSA Law Schools are held in two cycles which in winter and summer and are held in over 50 locations around the continent. Participants at ELSA Law Schools are chosen based on stringent criteria that assure the selection of the best students and young lawyers in their respective fields.
