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Master en droit européen - LL.M. (académique)

Concours Européen des Droits de l’Homme René Cassin

The Cassin, the only official language is French, consists of a moot process which pits students’ teams from various European universities against one another. It is based on a moot case of topical interest, which participants must study from the point of view of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Each team is tasked with representing either the claimant or the defending State. The “claimant’s lawyers” put forward the violations which may occur. The “defending State’s representatives” attempt to respond to the allegations made.

First, the team prepares written submissions setting out the arguments in favour of its “client”. Thereafter, during the Final Rounds, the best 16 teams present their arguments orally before a panel of human rights experts in Strasbourg, in the premises of the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Field:

European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Language:

French

Eligibility:

Students at Master level in the 4 th and 5 th year of their legal studies with particular interest in human rights are eligible to take part in the Cassin. Excellent French language skills are required, both spoken and written.

For further information see the " Official rules for participation in an external Moot Court competition ".

Procedure:

Each team comprises two barristers and ideally one legal adviser.
 From end of September on, relevant texts on human rights and the case law of the ECHR will be analyzed as part of a workshop. This workshop is based on analyzing moot case precedents relating to the competition rather than providing an introduction to research work and the presentation of arguments.
 At the written stage, which starts with the publication of the moot case, the team prepares written submissions on the basis of this case on behalf of the claimant or the defending State before the ECHR. Based on the quality of the written submissions, the 16 best teams (8 defendants and 8 claimants) proceed to the Final Rounds of the competition where they submit their oral pleadings before juries in Strasbourg.

For further information, see the official rules of the competition .

Schedule:

The preparatory workshop starts in late September. The moot case is published in November or December. The written stage lasts until transmission of the written submissions in February. Pleadings will take place in Strasbourg in April (around Easter).
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Coordination:

Ass. Jur. Carola Rappe LL.M.

Credits:

12 ECTS (6 per Semester)

Organization website :

www.concourscassin.eu

Experiences:

Cassin 2009/2010
Cassin 2010/2011