Amsterdam International Law Clinic

Goals and perspective
The Amsterdam International Law Clinic is an initiative of students and staff of the Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam. The Clinic provides legal services to clients on all questions of international law. It was established to meet the needs of students for more experience in treating cases and to meet the increasing demands from organisations, companies and law firms for legal advice on matters of international law. In international legal practice a growing interest exists for lawyers with a deeper understanding of the functioning and the application of international law and with experience in handling arguments based on international law. The Clinic offers students the possibility to gain such experience and at the same time to make contact with their future profession in a direct manner. This co-operation between organisations, companies and law-firms on the one hand, and students of international law on the other, is new in Dutch legal practice and the Clinic is therefore unique in the Netherlands.

Legal Services
The International Law Clinic provides legal services in individual cases, such as advise on a discrete question of international law. The International Law Clinic also can provide students for internships requiring specialised knowledge of international law. A fee will be required for the services of the Amsterdam International Law Clinic, but the costs will be relatively low.
The Clinic operates throughout the academic year, September through July. In most cases it will be able to provide legal services on short notice. The Clinic is able to provide a high quality of legal services by a strict process of selection for participating students based on their academic performance, and by a close supervision of the students by the ACIL staff.

Staff
The quality of the legal services provided by the Amsterdam International Law Clinic is guaranteed by close supervision of the students by the staff of the Department of International Law and the ACIL. A full list of members of the staff can be found at http://www1.jur.uva.nl/acil/staff.htm

The overall responsibility rests with prof. dr. André Nollkaemper and Joost P.J. van Wielink, LL.M.

Recent reports

• Enforced disappearances as continuing violations
• Establishing an individual complaints procedure against violations of international humanitarian law
• Fundamental rights and freedoms in the African Commission on Human and People's rights: an overview of the interpretation of the articles 6, 7, 9 and 26 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights
• The competence of the European Court of Human Rights to order restitutio in integrum and specific orders as remedial measures in the case 46221/99
• Undue delay in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights: Varicak Marica v. Croatia Osiguranje

Associated organisations
In principle, legal services of the Amsterdam International Law Clinic are available for all clients. With a number of organisations and law firms, the Clinic has developed institutional contacts. From the start of the Amsterdam International Law Clinic in 2000, associations with the following organisations and law firms have been developed:

• International Alliances
• International Alliances International League for Human Rights
• Avocats sans Frontičres
• Van den Biesen Prakken Böhler - Attorneys at Law, Amsterdam
• International Criminal Defence Attoneys Association

Students
The Amsterdam International Law Clinic offers students who are in their final year the unique possibility to combine theory and practice of international law at the University of Amsterdam during an entire semester. Working in the Clinic gives you the chance to get in touch with lawyers, clients and cases that vary from international human rights law to European law, private international law, international criminal law or international environmental cases. During one semester you will work closely with other students and members of the staff on cases coming from international legal practice and give legal advice to clients of the Clinic.

Credits: 10 ECTS
Semester 1: September 2003 - January 2004
Semester 2: February 2004 - June 2004

Participants:
Students Rechtsgeleerdheid and students in International Law of foreign universities

Requirements:

• you must either have a thourough knowledge of or a more than average interest in international law
• you must be available to work in the Clinic during 5 months (one semester) for at least 8 hours a week
• you must follow the compulsory Clinic Course that includes lectures and visits to organisations and cliënts
• a lot of enthusiasm and interest in international law are indispensable!

Clinic Course:
During the time you participate in the Clinic, we will provide for a Clinic Course. This course will deal with various aspects of the legal profession and rendering legal services. Professionals from the field, both academics and attorneys, will address various topics as (amongst others): secrecy of files, international legal practice, liability, etc.

How to enroll:
Please send:

• an overview of courses and grades
• your curriculum vitae
• a paper or other written document of your hand that contains at least 5 pages

to mr. Joost van Wielink, c/o Secretariat of Public International Law, P.O. Box 19120, 1000 GC, Amsterdam

Under certain conditions students of foreign universities can participate in the Law Clinic. Basic knowledge of the Dutch language is a requirement though, since the obligatory Clinic Course will be given in Dutch. For more information please contact Joost van Wielink at Этот адрес электронной почты защищен от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.

Contact
For further information on the use of the services of the Amsterdam International Law Clinic please contact Joost P.J. van Wielink at Этот адрес электронной почты защищен от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.

Mail address
P.O. Box 19120
1000 GC AMSTERDAM

Visiting address:
Turfdraagsterpad 9
1012 XT Amsterdam
tel: 31 20 525 2961 / 2632
fax: 31 20 525 2684