Global Justice Clinic

Rights are not mere gifts or favours, motivated by love or pity, for which gratitude is the sole fitting response. A right is something demanded or insisted upon without embarrassment or shame. - (Feinberg, 1973, p. 58-59)1

Picture Clinic

Justice takes place (not only) in the courtroom:

The Erfurt Global Justice Clinic combines legal teaching and activism. Here, students can develop legal content themselves through experiential and research-based learning and apply it in real practical cases for the benefit of disadvantaged people seeking justice. Under the direction of Prof. Michael Riegner, the interactive format of the clinic provides insights into the networking of legal practice and civil society and illustrates how the law is mobilized for legal and socio-political interventions. For this purpose, the clinic cooperates with partners from human rights and development practice, such as the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights in Berlin.

In addition, the Foundation for Innovation in University Teaching is funding the Global Justice Clinic with over 400,000 euros for two years since April 1, 2024. This has resulted in an innovative program for "Clinical Education in Global Justice", which also promotes global networking and hybrid learning partnerships with clinics in the Global South.

Vintage 2024
2024-2025 Clinic Cycle BA/MA Fancy being part of it? More information about the 2024 cycle
Past Cylcle
Past Cycles Find out more about the past cycles
Innovation project
Clinic as an innovation project A new way of teaching
Laisa

The case studies in the Legal Clinic brought the theory learned into real life. It's a rewarding feeling to be working on an assignment that will be used to solve real issues with the partner organisations.

- Laisa Pereira

Barbara

As a Public Policy student and coming from a business background I found this class extremely helpful as it helped me understand the interaction between the private sector and legal institutions. The use of guest speakers and the group case study provided a great opportunity to apply the theoretical frameworks we learned during class into a professional, real-life situation. It was also a great networking opportunity between class peers and subject matter experts in the field.

- Barbara Roman, B.Sc. Business Administration (University of Puerto Rico), MPP student at the Willy Brand School

Isabelle

The clinic was a great and unique opportunity to experience the relevance of my studies for practice. Getting the necessary knowledge and benefiting from the diverse academic backgrounds of the other participants I was enabled to work on a challenging but so fascinating case within the field of Business and Human Rights.

- Isabelle Lamperti, B.A. Social Sciences, student of the Master in State Sciences (Staatswissenschften) at Erfurt University

Ebrima

The BHR seminar was without doubt the seminar I always looked forward to, because of the critical, insightful, and important discussions from colleagues and above all the Professor. I will therefore highly recommend this module for students who want to widen their understanding of BHR and who are also interested in putting a stop to corporate irresponsibility.

- Ebrima Jarju, Law (University of The Gambia), MPP student at the Willy Brand School

  1. Feinberg, J. (1973). Social Philosophy (Foundations of Philosophy Series). Prentice-Hall.