The Department of Law at the Freie Universität Berlin has been holding the FU Law Clinic “Practice of Criminal Defense" since summer semester 2014. In each two-semester round, participants become acquainted with the various activities of criminal defense through intensive and practical learning.

The FU Law Clinic combines three elements of the regular curriculum into an innovative type of teaching. It offers the possibility of acquiring credits necessary for the completion of a law degree: a proof of key qualifications ("Schlüsselqualifikationsschein"), an internship certificate and a seminar certificate.

In the first semester the project group initially provides an introduction into criminal procedural law and criminal defense. Subsequently, the criminal defense lawyers and representatives of our cooperating partners (→ defense lawyers) give presentations on relevant issues from pracitce. In addition to these thematic aspects the focus is on practical exercises and small presentations. This is followed by an internship during the non-lecture period at one of the defense lawyer's offices. In the second semester the participants work on their cases in small groups as part of a seminar. They develop a solution which is intended to be applied in practice.

Since the summer semester 2017 the FU Law Clinic has been directed by Prof Dr Carsten Momsen.

The FU Law Clinic is grateful for the support of