Grenoble Law SchoolLaw at the top

What does this clinic involve?

The regional legal clinic was launched in September 2018. It involves students in the Master's 2 program in Administration and Local Authorities working on real-life cases submitted by local authorities, public institutions, and sometimes citizens. It focuses on issues related to regional public action. The topics covered by the clinic are very diverse, including urban planning, public procurement, local assembly law, conflicts between employees and employers, and more.

Which students are affected?

The clinic is an integral part of the training offered to students in the M2 Administration and Local Authorities program. They work in groups of four or five students. Time slots are reserved for this in their schedule. Every two weeks, I meet with these students so that they can move forward with their projects from one week to the next, even though they also work independently. The workload is quite heavy, but they enjoy it!

On what scale is the clinic being deployed?

There are several legal clinics in France, but this is the only one specializing in public administration. The professionals who contact students to offer them practical cases come from all over France. For example, last year, the clinic worked with a local authority in the Paris region, the City of Bordeaux, etc. This year, it is working with the Hautes-Alpes department, the City of Annecy, the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, etc.

What benefits do students gain from this project?

Feedback from the Master 2 improvement committee on this working method has been very positive. It trains students to respond quickly, comprehensively, accurately, and clearly. By responding to a specific request, they put themselves in the shoes of a professional. They must avoid conflicts of interest, comply with ethical rules, and draw on all their knowledge to solve a real problem. It is their first professional experience! This is also an attractive feature that draws students from beyond Grenoble.

What benefits does the clinic offer to communities?

For local authorities, the advantage is that they receive a quick response free of charge. They apply the students' recommendations directly, and if the issue is too complex, the students advise the local authority to consult a law firm. This advice supplements legal services, or replaces them when they do not exist. Feedback from professionals after more than a year of implementation has been very positive.

What developments are planned for the coming years?

The aim is to develop the clinic in September 2020, when France's first "legal Fab Lab" is created: the M2 Administration and Local Authorities program will be supplemented by a distance learning course for local elected officials and public decision-makers, directly linked to the traditional course taken by students attending in person. As such, the latter will be given practical cases by local elected officials in distance learning, which will create a link between the two audiences.