Admission requirements
Admission to the Masters programme (European Law specialisation).
Description
Students will be introduced to the practical side of EU law. Students will solve cases and will act, as part of a litigation team, in a series of moot courts, simulating preliminary ruling procedures before the Court of Justice of the European Union. They will explore in-depth fundamental issues of the substantive law of the EU (focusing on the fundamental freedoms or competition law) and associated procedural elements. In their teams, students will research, critically analyse, and apply EU law. Students will be required to prepare written submissions in their role as applicant, defendant, European Commission representative, and/or Advocate General. Furthermore, they will be asked to present their case orally and will thereby practice their pleading skills in a courtroom situation.
Course objectives
The course seeks to provide students with the opportunity to explore their talents as practicing lawyers and to apply their knowledge of EU law in real-life scenarios and cases. Firstly, the course focuses on the development of advocacy skills. It also offers students valuable insights into the practical work as part of a litigation team, under time pressure, while solving and arguing legal problems before a court. Secondly, the course focuses on the application and deepening of knowledge of different areas of EU law, requiring the students to craft and defend sophisticated legal arguments.
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
conduct legal research and find relevant sources of EU law providing authority to a legal argument;
have a profound knowledge of the substantive and procedural aspects of EU internal market and/or EU competition law;
critically analyse and apply EU law, case law from the Union Courts and legal doctrine to complex cases;
develop, organize, and defend legal arguments in oral and written form; and
critically evaluate legal arguments provided by peers.
Timetable
Will be announced later on Brightspace.
Mode of instruction
Lectures
The course will kick off with one or two lectures, which offer a general introduction to the course (explaining the rules of the moot courts that will follow) as well as instructions on how to prepare and present written or oral arguments in court.
Other methods of instruction
The heart of the practicum consists of 6 to 8 weekly court sessions, where the students, in small groups (litigation teams), will give oral presentations of their views in a simulated preliminary ruling procedure before the Court of Justice of the European Union. Each group will act in turn as applicant, defendant, European Commission representative, and/or Advocate General. In preparation of the court sessions, each group will produce and file written submissions. The students will have to conduct individual research when preparing both their written submissions and oral pleadings.
Assessment method
Each written submission will be carefully read and graded. General remarks about the submissions will be made in class; individual submission may be discussed further with the authors when necessary. The oral pleadings will be followed by plenary discussion in class and individual feedback will be provided.
Examination form(s)
The final grade for this Practicum is based upon the following marks:
1. A group grade for the written submissions. The average grade for all written submissions will count 50% toward the overall grade.
2. An individual grade for oral submissions during the court session. The average score of all pleadings (at least 2) will count 50% toward the overall grade.
Not being present or insufficient participation during class will result in reductions of the mark or for the individual concerned. In case deadlines are not met, this will also lead to a significant reduction of the group mark. Remember, this course depends on the timely availability of written submissions. We cannot tolerate delays given the set-up of this course. Other people will depend on your work.
If the individual average for the course is below 6, you will get the opportunity to write a paper on one of the issues dealt with in the course as a re-sit.
Reading list
Obligatory course materials
To be determined at a later stage. Finding legal materials as basis for pleading is a learning objective of the course in itself.
Course information guide and cases will be made available on Brightspace.
Recommended course materials
To be determined at a later stage.
Registration
Registration for courses and exams takes place via MyStudymap. If you do not have access to MyStudymap (guest students), look here (under the Law-tab) for more information on the registration procedure in your situation.
Please register for the lecture(s) in MyStudymap. You will then have access to the Brightspace course environment.
Registration for the tutorials of each topic is done via the lecturer/Brightspace. More information on this will be provided on Brightspace shortly before the course starts.
Contact
Coordinator: Dr. Ben Van Rompuy
Work address: Steenschuur 25, room C1.23
Contact information: via secretariat; see below
Telephone number: 071 – 527 1344
E-mail: b.van.rompuy@law.leidenuniv.nl
Institution/division
Institute: Public Law
Division: European law
Room number secretariat: KOG B1.11
Opening hours: Mon – Fri, 9.00 – 17.00
Telephone number secretariat: 071 – 527 7416
E-mail: europeesrecht@law.leidenuniv.nl