Prospectus

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European Law in Practice - Practicum

Course
2016-2017

Admission requirements

Admission to the Masters programme (European Law specialisation).

Description

Students will be introduced to the practical side of EU law both from a procedural as well as a substantive point of view. Students will solve cases and act in groups as applicant, defendant, advocate general, and as judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union in a series of moot courts in the fields of internal market law and/or competition law. In their respective teams, students will research, analyse and apply EU law and case law from the Court of Justice and the General Court of the EU. Students will be required to prepare written submissions to the Court of Justice on a variety of issues. Furthermore, they will be asked to present their case orally and will thereby practice their presentation skills in a courtroom situation.

Course objectives

Objectives of the course
The Course seeks to provide students with the opportunity to explore their talents as practicing lawyers and to practically apply their knowledge of EU law in real-life scenarios and cases. The basic skills of lawyers, i.e. preparing written and oral submissions, will be practised. Secondly, the course aims at teaching students to familiarise themselves with different areas of EU law in a limited period of time and to produce acceptable pleadings Thirdly, the course teaches will offer students valuable insights into working as a team under time pressure while solving and arguing complex legal problems

Achievement levels
The following achievement levels apply with regard to the course: At the end of this course, students will:

  • Have experience in independent legal research in new areas and topics relating to EU law.

  • Critically read, analyse and apply EU law, case law from the European Courts and legal doctrine to complex cases.

  • Be able to write, present and defend legal papers before their peers.

Timetable

Will be announced later on blackboard

Mode of instruction

Lectures
In the first week there will be an introductory lecture, intended to lay the foundation for the rest of the course and explain the rules of the moot courts that follow.

Seminars
None.

Other methods of instruction

  • Description: “Court sessions”
    The heart of the practicum consists of 9 weeks, during which the students act in small groups as participants in court sessions which will be held on the basis of fictional cases or cases that are pending before the European Courts. Each subgroup will act in turn as the Applicant, the Defendant, Advocate General and as the Court. In this role they submit papers and give oral presentations of their views on the case. To this end, the students will meet once a week during 4 hours in “court sessions”. The students will have to conduct individual research when preparing their papers and presentations.

  • Total number of lectures and “court sessions”: 10 (4 hours each)

  • Each submission will be carefully read and graded. General remarks about the papers will be made in class; individual papers may be discussed further with the authors when necessary. The oral presentations will be followed by plenary discussion in class; individual feedback will be given.

Assessment method

Examination form(s)
The final grade for this Practicum is based upon the following marks:
1. A group mark for the 4 written submissions (2x written observations for applicant and respondent, one AG opinion, and 1 Court judgment).

These 4 written submissions will count 12,5% each, thus 50% of the overall mark in total.

  1. An individual mark for each oral pleading in class (at least two) based on the written submissions. The average score of all presentations will count for 50% of the overall mark. Pleading includes answering questions.
  • 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.

  • 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.

Submission procedures
The papers have to be handed in electronically as indicated in the course outline. The oral presentations will be given and discussed in class.

Areas to be tested within the exam
Not applicable (there is no written exam). The final paper will test the individual student’s ability to write a coherent and sufficiently “academic” paper (since the other papers are the result of the teamwork of the subgroups).

Blackboard

More information on this course is offered on Blackboard.

Reading list

Obligatory course materials
Students are required to collect the relevant material themselves.

Course information guide:

  • Course outline; available on Blackboard

Reader:

  • None

Recommended course materials
Not applicable: students are expected to gather the necessary materials themselves.

Registration

Please register for this course in uSis

Contact information

  • Co-ordinator: Dr. Giovanni Gruni

  • Work address: Steenschuur 25, room B2.29 KOG

  • Contact information: via secretariat; see below

  • Telephone number: 071 – 5271578

  • E-mail: g.gruni@law.leidenuniv.nl

Institution/division

  • Institute: Public Law

  • Division: European law

  • Room number secretariat: B 1.21

  • Opening hours: Mon – Fri, 9.00 – 17.00

  • Telephone number secretariat: 071 – 527 8905

  • E-mail: europeesrecht@law.leidenuniv.nl