They can deal with real-life legal cases of non-profit organizations or hear directly from company experts about good practice examples in corporate social responsibility. They could also sign up for the course in the summer semester.

This unique course fuses legal education with society’s needs.

At the Faculty of Law at Comenius University in Bratislava students can sign up for the course entitled Non-Profit Legal Clinic. It fuses NGOs’ legal needs, future lawyers’ education, and advocates’ and trainee advocates’ good will.  

“Students deal with the real problems of non-profit organizations under the guidance of an advocate. Depending on the gravity of a case, they work in teams of two to four. They make a crucial contribution to producing a particular output,” explains Barbora Pálešová from the Pontis Foundation, who coordinates the Pro Bono Advocates and co-organizes this course.

The cases differ depending on the focus of the organizations seeking help. Legal assistance is sought by centres which help the disabled and the marginalized, environmental organizations, etc. Students can thus choose to focus on an area they are most interested in, try working with a real client and develop a positive attitude to pro bono legal services already during their studies.

This is the fifth time that Comenius University and the Pontis Foundation have opened the course. This semester the students will be working under the supervision ofbnt attorneys-at-law, Márton & Partner, Schönherr, and a corporate member of the DELL programme. Until today the course has been attended by over 80 students, who have helped more than 30 non-profit organizations.

About corporate responsibility “first-hand”

The students of the University of Economics in Bratislava and the University of Technology in Košice, on the other hand, have an opportunity to learn about corporate responsibility in practice. Throughout this whole semester they will be able to attend lectures focused on practical experience and case studies. 

“Students will get a peek directly into ‘the kitchen’ of corporate responsibility. Every week they will have a possibility to have a discussion with corporate experts on current issues in this area, such as employee motivation, circular economy, workplace diversity, and corporate volunteering,” explains Tatiana Čapová, who coordinates courses and works as a CSR programme coordinator at the Pontis Foundation/Business Leaders Forum.

 Corporate social responsibility in practice , as this accredited course is called, is organized by the Business Leaders Forum (BLF) at the Pontis Foundation in cooperation with the above mentioned universities. “If students learn about the benefits of responsible entrepreneurship already during their studies, they are more likely to seek employment in such companies later and implement learnt principles in practice, or possibly set up responsible companies themselves,” adds Čaplová.

The course is taught in English at the University of Economics in Bratislava. Thanks to this, it was attended by students from 11 countries last semester. In the summer semester 2016/2017 the following companies will participate in the instruction: Adient Slovakia; GETRAG FORD Transmissions Slovakia; Kia Motors Slovakia; Kaufland Slovak Republic; Martinus.sk; NEAT; Philip Morris Slovakia; Skanska SK; Slovenská sporiteľňa; TaylorWessing e/n/w/c; Tesco Stores SR; TNT Express Worldwide; T-Systems Slovakia; U. S. Steel Košice; Volkswagen Slovakia; Východoslovenská energetika; and WHIRLPOOL Slovakia.

 Over 100 students will gain knowledge about corporate social responsibility through inspiring lectures and discussions.