ELSA (The European Law Students‘ Association) is an international, non-political, independent and not-for-profit association the aims of which are to promote, define and develop mutual understanding, co-operation and personal contacts among law students and young lawyers from different countries and legal systems, thereby equipping them for a professional life in an international environment.
ELSA offers law students an exceptional opportunity and the space to acquire new skills and improve existing ones. It is a unique group created for interaction between students, educators, and practitioners in the field of law and in related fields of law – all over Europe!
ELSA was founded in 1981 by students from Hungary, Germany, Poland, and Austria. The number of its members is growing and today, with 400 faculties in 41 countries, ELSA, brings together about 60,000 students and young lawyers across Europe. It is the largest independent association of law students in the world!
ELSA currently has members in Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine and the UK.
In Czech Republic, ELSA operates at the law faculties in Brno, Olomouc, Pilsen, and Prague.
ELSA also works with other student organizations in North America, ALSA in Japan, ALSA in Australia, ALSA in South Africa, and AEJCI in Côte d’Ivoire.
Vision
„A just world in which there is respect for human dignity and cultural diversity.“
Purpose
To contribute to legal education, to foster mutual understanding and to promote social responsibility of law students and young lawyers.
Means
To provide opportunities for law students and young lawyers to learn about other cultures and legal systems in a spirit of critical dialogue and scientific co-operation;
To assist law students and young lawyers to be internationally minded and professionally skilled;
To encourage law students and young lawyers to act for the good of society.