Human Rights Law Clinic

The Human Rights Law Clinic is an innovative teaching method, that gives future jurists and lawyers the opportunity to work on real cases during their studies at the University since 2017. It is a project of the departments for Public Law and Criminal Law of the Faculty of Law at the University of Bern. The Clinic works together with attorneys, legal advice services and organizations in the realm of civil society with the goal to foster the exchange between science and praxis. It focuses on matters concerning human rights.

The information session for enrollment in the 2026 fall semester took place on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The application deadline is 28 April 2026. More information here.

News/Events

Report

Joint statement with ACAT-Switzerland on the introduction of a separate offense of torture in the Swiss Criminal Code

Students at the Law Clinic have taken an in-depth look at the issue of torture and, together with the NGO ACAT-Switzerland, have developed concrete proposals for the introduction of a separate criminal offense in the Swiss Criminal Code. As part of the consultation process of the Legal Affairs Committee of the National Council, the Law Clinic submitted a comprehensive statement in April 2025, welcoming the parliamentary efforts to close this legal loophole. The statement is available online. The Law Clinic continues to actively monitor the parliamentary process.

Information event on April 14, 2026

Time: 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Room: A 017, UniS
For students starting in the fall semester of 2026.

Report

Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Reporting on a CEDAW case supported by the Human Rights Law Clinic: In July 2025, the UN Women's Rights Committee reprimanded Switzerland for a Dublin transfer without sufficient trauma- and gender-sensitive examination; students from the University of Bern Law Clinic supported the case.

Report

Beobachter

Report on the legal opinion of the Human Rights Law Clinic in the case of Theo W., published in Beobachter on January 24, 2026.

Study trip to Strasbourg

The Law Clinic went on a study trip to Strasbourg in FS25: We visited the ECtHR, the Council of Europe, and the EU Parliament, where we had a chat with the Swiss ECtHR judge, among other things.

Report

UniAktuell

Report on the Human Rights Law Clinic in UniAktuell dated October 17, 2025

Report

Human Rights Law Clinic on the Instagram channel of the University of Bern.

Human Rights Law Clinic was featured on the Instagram channel of the University of Bern.

Podcast

Podcast “Legal Consequence 19 – Law in Practice – the Human Rights Law Clinic”

Our Human Rights Law Clinic is the focus of episode 19 of the University of Bern's “Rechtsfolge” podcast. The discussion revolves around legal education, the development of a critical understanding of law, and access to justice. Thank you for the enjoyable and stimulating conversation!

Brief introduction to the Human Rights Law Clinic

This short video clip introduces the Human Rights Law Clinic at the University of Bern.

Presentation at the conference of the European Network for Clinical Legal Education (ENCLE)

Since spring 2025, the HRLC has been a member of the European Network for Clinical Legal Education (ENCLE). ENCLE is a non-profit association that promotes professional exchange between law clinics at the international level.
The ENCLE conference takes place annually. At this year's conference in Warsaw, a delegation from the mid-level faculty was also represented, actively contributing to the program with its own workshop on teaching methods in legal clinics and the challenges associated with them.

Seminar in Berlin (Spring Semester 24)

As part of the Law Clinic seminar in Berlin (May 1-4, 2024), we had the pleasure of being welcomed by the team from the Chair of Law and Migration, together with the Refugee Law Clinic Berlin e.V. (RLC Berlin) and the Humboldt Law Clinic Fundamental and Human Rights (HLCMR). We would like to express our sincere thanks for the hospitality and stimulating exchange. We look forward to remaining in friendly contact and exploring further opportunities for cooperation.

Publication

"Aufbruch, Potenzial und Verantwortung"

Contribution by Lars Schneider and David Keller in the anthology “Aufbruch, Potenzial und Verantwortung” (New Beginnings, Potential, and Responsibility)

Publication

ius.full

Article by Angela Dagli, Meret Horisberger, and Selma Kuratle in the journal ius.full No. 3+4/22

Report

Bärner Studizytig

Interview in the “Bärner Studizytig” (March 7, 2024 edition) about the Human Rights Law Clinic

Report

Plädoyer

Report in the magazine “Plädoyer” 2023 about the Human Rights Law Clinic Bern

Report

woz

Short report in the magazine “woz” dated February 29, 2024

Publication

ZStrR

The current issue of the Swiss Journal of Criminal Law (ZStrR) features an article by MLaw Julia Bischofberger, a former participant in the Law Clinic. Based on her master's thesis supervised by Prof. Jonas Weber, she examines from various perspectives the need for legislative action to prevent unlawful statelessness, which can arise under the current legal situation in cases of unenforceable expulsions. We also regularly deal with such cases in the Law Clinic.

Contact

University of Bern
Human Rights Law Clinic, Coordination office

Schanzeneckstr. 1
Postfach
3001 Bern

Phone: +41 31 684 88 95
lawclinic.rw@unibe.ch

Human Rights Law Clinic

News/Events

Joint statement with ACAT-Switzerland on the introduction of a separate offense of torture in the Swiss Criminal Code

Information event on April 14, 2026

Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Beobachter

Study trip to Strasbourg

UniAktuell

Human Rights Law Clinic on the Instagram channel of the University of Bern.

Podcast “Legal Consequence 19 – Law in Practice – the Human Rights Law Clinic”

Brief introduction to the Human Rights Law Clinic

Presentation at the conference of the European Network for Clinical Legal Education (ENCLE)

Seminar in Berlin (Spring Semester 24)

"Aufbruch, Potenzial und Verantwortung"

ius.full

Bärner Studizytig

Plädoyer

woz

ZStrR

Contact

Map