This learning unit is not open to incoming exchange students!
Teacher(s)
Language
English
Prerequisites
The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
| At the end of the seminar, the student should : o have opened his/her mind to the fundamental questions and to a critical reflection of law and legal theory ; o have acquired the capacity to understand texts of legal theory, to summarise them and to discuss them during group debates ; o have addressed a legal issue extensively and from a critical point of view, through the use of positive law and legal theory ; o have written, on that topic, an essay based on personal research and extended bibliography, providing a critical analysis of the question ; o have presented orally to his/her fellow students the result of his/her research ; The Law in Transition Clinic aims to improve the students' legal, practical and reflexive skills. By confronting students with real-life cases, it will strengthen their ability to carry out a thorough, hands-on and comprehensive analysis of a legal issue. By meeting « clients » and writing (advice, submissions, court briefs etc.) for them, the students will also greatly improve their soft skills (speaking, listening and writing skills mainly). Finally, the subject-matter of the Clinic (i.e. the transition toward a post-growth era) will trigger an interdisciplinary reflection on the evolution of our society and on the role that law and lawyers are supposed to play in it. |
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Content
This Teaching unit consists of two parts:
- A Seminar in Legal Theory (similar to the seminar that is followed by all the ther students), including the reading and discussion of legal theory texts and the preparation of a final essay in legal theory (or more specifically an analysis of a positive law issue through the lens of legal theory(ies)).
- A Law in Transition Clinic that gives students an opportunity to assist associations, NGO's and other public or private bodies on legal issues relating to the transition toward a more resilient society, from an ecological, a social and an economic standpoint. Students will be asked to carry out legal research, write legal advice and even draft court submissions at the request of the clinic's « clients ». In terms of litigation work, the Clinic has already contributed to filing submissions with the Belgian Council of State, the EU Court of Justice and General Court, the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
These two parts are deeply intertwined, both chronologically (students will receive assignments for both the Seminar and the Clinic from the start of the year) and contentwise: they offer complementary approaches (practical and theoretical) to the transition movements and the post-growth narrative surrounding them.
- A Seminar in Legal Theory (similar to the seminar that is followed by all the ther students), including the reading and discussion of legal theory texts and the preparation of a final essay in legal theory (or more specifically an analysis of a positive law issue through the lens of legal theory(ies)).
- A Law in Transition Clinic that gives students an opportunity to assist associations, NGO's and other public or private bodies on legal issues relating to the transition toward a more resilient society, from an ecological, a social and an economic standpoint. Students will be asked to carry out legal research, write legal advice and even draft court submissions at the request of the clinic's « clients ». In terms of litigation work, the Clinic has already contributed to filing submissions with the Belgian Council of State, the EU Court of Justice and General Court, the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
These two parts are deeply intertwined, both chronologically (students will receive assignments for both the Seminar and the Clinic from the start of the year) and contentwise: they offer complementary approaches (practical and theoretical) to the transition movements and the post-growth narrative surrounding them.
Teaching methods
The teaching method is based on continuous assessment, making student attendance compulsory during sessions and oral presentations.
Legal theory seminar
Seminar sessions are held in person, and students take handwritten notes, as the use of computers is not permitted.
The texts to be read are made available to students according to the methods chosen by the lecturers, via the Moodle website and/or in a collection of texts available from the SVIB course materials department.
Students must write a handwritten reading note summarising the texts provided, identifying the key issues or ideas that particularly interest them. These notes are an essential working tool for discussions during the sessions and must be brought to each class.
Preparation and active participation in the sessions are compulsory and will be assessed. In the event of absence, whether justified or not, students are still required to submit their preparation notes to the teacher responsible.
As regards the final essay:
Legal theory seminar
Seminar sessions are held in person, and students take handwritten notes, as the use of computers is not permitted.
The texts to be read are made available to students according to the methods chosen by the lecturers, via the Moodle website and/or in a collection of texts available from the SVIB course materials department.
Students must write a handwritten reading note summarising the texts provided, identifying the key issues or ideas that particularly interest them. These notes are an essential working tool for discussions during the sessions and must be brought to each class.
Preparation and active participation in the sessions are compulsory and will be assessed. In the event of absence, whether justified or not, students are still required to submit their preparation notes to the teacher responsible.
As regards the final essay:
- there is at least one opportunity for students to discuss their individual research with the teacher at a time during the second term set by the teacher before the course suspension period (for the 2025-2026 academic year, this period runs from Monday 20 April to Saturday 2 May 2026);
- the written assignment must be submitted on Moodle on the last day of the period of suspension of classes.
- several oral defence sessions of personal research work will be organised in small groups of students to allow for collective discussions about the research carried out; these sessions take place after the period of suspension of classes but before the end of the second term.
Law clinic
Students will be given assignments depending on the cases that are submitted to the clinic. These assignments can include documentary research, the drafting of a legal opinion or the preparation of a trial brief. Assignments are usually carried out in groups. Students will usually have to carry out several assignments across the year.
Artificial Intelligence
The teacher may use one or more artificial intelligence tools (in particular ‘ChatGPT’) in his teaching in order to familiarise students with the benefits and limitations of this type of tool. While the use of artificial intelligence tools is encouraged in the seminar, students are expected to use them responsibly in accordance with the document ‘Responsible Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence,’ approved by the Faculty Council. Students are required to sign an ‘integrity pledge’ to this effect and to submit it together with their final essay.
- the written assignment must be submitted on Moodle on the last day of the period of suspension of classes.
- several oral defence sessions of personal research work will be organised in small groups of students to allow for collective discussions about the research carried out; these sessions take place after the period of suspension of classes but before the end of the second term.
Law clinic
Students will be given assignments depending on the cases that are submitted to the clinic. These assignments can include documentary research, the drafting of a legal opinion or the preparation of a trial brief. Assignments are usually carried out in groups. Students will usually have to carry out several assignments across the year.
Artificial Intelligence
The teacher may use one or more artificial intelligence tools (in particular ‘ChatGPT’) in his teaching in order to familiarise students with the benefits and limitations of this type of tool. While the use of artificial intelligence tools is encouraged in the seminar, students are expected to use them responsibly in accordance with the document ‘Responsible Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence,’ approved by the Faculty Council. Students are required to sign an ‘integrity pledge’ to this effect and to submit it together with their final essay.
Evaluation methods
See the left column
Online resources
Legal clinic
The assignments will be allotted through the "homework" tab on Moodle. The background materials for each holmework will also be made available on Moodle. The assignments will to be turned in on Moodle. Any announcement regarding the clinic will be made through Moodle.
Legal theory seminar
The assignments will be allotted through the "homework" tab on Moodle. The background materials for each holmework will also be made available on Moodle. The assignments will to be turned in on Moodle. Any announcement regarding the clinic will be made through Moodle.
Legal theory seminar
On Moodle, students will find the texts to read, as well as he slides used during the sessions and, for information and illustration purposes, links to videos, podcasts or other resources related to the seminar. Students will also have access to links to educational videos produced by the teachers. These videos cover the seminar on legal theory, the use of word processing (Word), tips for researching sources in the social sciences and humanities, and the use of artificial intelligence.
Bibliography
Pas de bibliographie recommandée
Teaching materials
- Collection of readings - BDRAN1351 - Seminar in Legal Theory and Law Clinic
Faculty or entity
