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Why did you sign up for the CSR public speaking contest?

Jade: I always wanted to take part in a competition, to see what it was like. A team of three people was required, so I asked my two classmates to join me. They weren't convinced at first, because CSR is more of a business law issue, which isn't the area we're focusing on...
Raissa: But I finally accepted because I wanted to discover eloquence. I wanted to see what it felt like to write a compelling text, to convince an audience, to use my voice, words, tone, gestures... This isn't worked on enough at university, where oral communication is almost non-existent, even though it's important for our future careers, as all three of us want to be criminal lawyers.
Claire: I have always been passionate about public speaking. I watch it on TV, on the internet... That's another reason why I accepted. What's more, teamwork is rare, and I wanted to work with other colleagues so that we could share our ideas, because that's how it works in the professional world when you're a lawyer.

How did you prepare for the competition?

The three students: We were in the middle of midterms for the first round of the competition (qualifying phase). So we only had 10 days to prepare. We spent entire afternoons at the library and used all our breaks between classes to study. At first, we each did our own research on the topic, then we pooled our findings. For the semi-finals and finals, we worked together more closely from the outset.
We were supported every step of the way by two teachers: Stéphane Gerry-Vernières and Claire-Anne Michel. We showed them our texts, and they told us what to improve, remove, develop... This preparation with them was crucial.

How did the contest go?

The three students: The competition took place in three stages: qualification (in January, in Mulhouse), then the semi-finals and finals on the same day (in June, in Aix-en-Provence). Each team had the same topic. We all had to represent a CSR consulting firm and present our case before a jury, then answer questions.
Whether in Mulhouse or Aix-en-Provence, we were very warmly welcomed by the faculties. And we also got along well with the other teams right away. There was a great atmosphere between us.
After the semi-final, we only had a few hours to prepare for the final topic (a cosmetics company wanting to develop a unique and innovative social initiative). To respond to this, we drew heavily on what we had learned in our Master's degree in criminal law, which allowed us to stand out from the other teams, who were more focused on business and labor law. We took a very human approach, defending the employment of women in precarious situations, people with disabilities, and the homeless.

Following your success in the competition, the jury praised the quality of your performance as well as your sense of humor...

The three students: We didn't specifically try to be funny! But we were pleasantly surprised to find that the jury had picked up on the humor in our presentation... This was because we chose to use puns related to the topic each time we presented our plan. For example, on the topic of cosmetics in the final, we presented our plan as the steps in a skincare routine, which everyone could relate to. And our outfits also made an impression, as all three of us were wearing suits and ties!

What memories will you take away from this experience?

Raissa: The announcement of the results and the look on Claire-Anne Michel's face, our teacher, who was so proud of us! I will also remember the very first day when we met the other teams and the kindness that prevailed during the competition.
Jade: The best moment for me was when the three of us were preparing for the final, with all the excitement and healthy stress of having to work quickly! We also had help from Claire's family, who came to lend a hand and took care of all the logistics so that we could focus on our preparation.
Claire: I will especially remember the end of the first round in Mulhouse, where we shared a drink with the other teams. They were fair play right to the end, even when we won the final. Otherwise, for me, our best performance was in the semi-final, where the three of us were in perfect harmony, with a shared desire to do well.