Birzeit University legal clinic participates in 2nd international legal clinics meeting in France

The legal clinic in the Faculty of Law and Public Administration at Birzeit University participated in the second international legal clinics meeting organized by the Francophone University Association, Lyon and Paris, on February 27-March 4, 2023.

The meeting was attended by 21 legal clinics from five Arab countries, namely Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and Palestine. The participants examined the academic and societal benefits of the clinical work, including strategies implemented to reach marginalized groups and to enhance student and trainee lawyer skills.

Participants from the Jean Moulin University Paris 8 and Lyon 3, the Paris Bar Association and law schools in Paris explored how to establish and activate legal clinics. Members of Arab legal clinics shared their experiences and discussed objectives achieved and challenges faced on the university and community levels. Birzeit University’s legal clinic presented procedures and mechanisms followed to achieve their goals.

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in France hosted members of participating clinics and explored the ministry’s objectives and strategies to support the Francophone University Association projects that aim to establish and develop legal clinics in the Middle East. Representatives of the ministry maintained that supporting legal clinics is part of the ministry’s strategic vision to promote good governance, democracy and legal education.

The legal clinic at Birzeit University participated in this meeting to exchange experiences with international legal clinics, enhance student theoretical and practical knowledge, promote social justice in the Palestinian community, bolster the university’s community engagement through facilitating access to justice and define future plans to develop legal practices.