Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne

What Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne does

Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne (CJS) is a non-profit student association founded in June 2015 under the French law of 1 July 1901, hosted at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Itself a volunteer initiative, CJS provides free legal information to individuals and legal entities who cannot access professional counsel, while simultaneously training law students from L2 through M2. The association is organized into 11 specialized legal poles (Arbitration & Mediation, Business Law & Taxation, General Private Law, Immigration & Asylum, Family & Persons, Women's Rights, IP/IT, Criminal Law, Public Law, Social Law, and International/European/Comparative Law) plus four non-legal poles (Communication, Partnerships, Human Resources, Permanences), with case assignment handled through WhatsApp groups and all research output corrected by supervising professors and practitioners from the École de Droit de la Sorbonne.

Operationally, CJS offers two parallel free services: (1) online case submission via its WordPress website, researched by teams of 2–4 students within roughly 10 days and restituted orally to the requester, and (2) in-person permanences at the Mairie du 5e arrondissement of Paris (Fridays and Saturdays) plus remote video consultations seven days a week. The clinic runs an annual national moot court competition (Concours de la Clinique) and publishes monthly Veille Juridique across all 11 domains. International antennas operate in Cairo (CJSE, 2019), Fès (CJFD at UEMF), and Bucharest (CJFREE, joined 2020), with additional partnerships in Mali and Benin.

The business model is non-monetary: services are free to requérants (requesters), students pay a €10 annual adhesion fee, and the association is funded through donations (via HelloAsso) and in-kind/financial support from partners such as the Mairie du 5e, France Terre d'Asile, Orrick, Greenwich Avocats, and Fondation des Femmes. Revenue is not disclosed and is structurally minimal; the association is governed by an annually elected student bureau, with the 2025-2026 mandate led by President Elina Ovanesian. Case processing is currently paused until mid-October 2026.

Name

Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne

Legal name

Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne

Website

https://cliniquejuridiquesorbonne.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne is a Paris-based non-profit student association providing free legal information to the public across 11 specialized legal domains, while training law students from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne through supervised real-case work, with international antennas in Cairo, Bucharest, and Fès.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pro Bono Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Legal Services (5411), All Other Legal Services (541199)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH), Mock Trial & Moot Court (EDAMAGAC), Paralegal & Legal Studies Programs (Law School–Affiliated) (EDAHAIAI)

Keywords

• Legal clinic services
• Free legal assistance
• Pro bono legal aid
• Law student training
• Legal access programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: Students pay a €10 annual membership fee to join the association. This is the primary recurring revenue stream, processed via HelloAsso platform.
2. Donations and Support: The association accepts donations through HelloAsso. The 'Nous soutenir' (Support Us) widget on the website allows public contributions to fund the association's activities.
3. Partnership Contributions: Partners provide material, financial, and logistical support including venue access (Mairie du 5e), professional supervision, event sponsorship, and educational resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne provides free legal information and assistance to individuals and legal entities who cannot access professional legal counsel, organized around two complementary services. The first is an online service comprising 11 specialized legal poles (Arbitration & Mediation, Business Law & Taxation, General Private Law, Immigration & Asylum, Family & Persons, Women's Rights, IP/IT, Criminal Law, Public Law, Social Law, International/European/Comparative Law) that handles case submissions submitted via the website, with each case assigned to teams of 2-4 law students, researched within 10 days, corrected by legal professionals, and restituted orally. The second is in-person and remote consultations (permanences) held at the Mairie du 5e arrondissement of Paris.

Product overview

Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne operates as a unified legal aid service offering free legal information to the public. The core service consists of two complementary channels: an online service with 11 specialized legal poles (handling requests via the website) and in-person/remote consultations (Permanences) at the Paris City Hall. Supporting offerings include the annual national moot court competition (Concours de la Clinique) and monthly Veille Juridique publications across all legal specializations. The 11 legal poles cover Arbitration & Mediation, Business Law & Taxation, General Private Law, Immigration & Asylum, Family & Persons, Women's Rights, IP/IT, Criminal Law, Public Law, Social Law, and International/European/Comparative Law.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Legal Assistance Service
• Legal Permanences (In-Person and Remote Consultations)
• Concours de la Clinique - National Moot Court Competition
• Veille Juridique - Legal Monitoring Publications
• Certificat du Clinicien
• Conferences and Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1,000 people assisted since founding in 2015
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Greenwich AvocatsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 March 2025Sponsor of the first edition of the National Inter-Clinics Colloquium (Colloque national intercliniques) held in Sorbonne on 29 March 2025, which gathered legal clinics from across France.
• Clinique Juridique de BordeauxminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS on 29 March 2025 in Sorbonne.
• Clinique Juridique de DouaiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS on 29 March 2025 in Sorbonne.
• Clinique Juridique d'EvryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS on 29 March 2025 in Sorbonne.
• Clinique Juridique de LilleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS on 29 March 2025 in Sorbonne.
• Clinique Juridique de Lyon IIIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS on 29 March 2025 in Sorbonne.
• Clinique Juridique de NiceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS on 29 March 2025 in Sorbonne.
• Clinique Juridique d'OrléansminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS on 29 March 2025 in Sorbonne.
• Clinique Juridique de Paris 8minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS on 29 March 2025 in Sorbonne. Founded by Benjamin Pitcho.
• CJFREE (Collège Juridique Franco-Roumain d'Études Européennes) - BucarestminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The Clinique Juridique Francophone de Bucarest was founded in 2019 through cooperation between CJFREE and the delegation of French expatriates in Romania. The Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne joined this project in 2020 via a partnership agreement, making it the Romanian antenna of CJS. Activities include weekly legal watch posts, a podcast, and organizing conferences.
• Mairie du 5e arrondissement de PariscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe clinic holds weekly in-person legal permanences at the town hall of the 5th arrondissement of Paris (21 place du Panthéon, rez-de-chaussée). This partnership enables free face-to-face consultations every Friday and Saturday for all members of the public seeking legal information.
• HelloAssocoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment platform used for membership fee collection (€10 annual adhesion) and donation processing ('Nous soutenir'). HelloAsso also handles online payment data for membership transactions.
• Village JusticeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured as a partner logo on the clinic's homepage, indicating a collaborative relationship in the legal access sector.
• OrrickminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured as a partner logo on the clinic's homepage, indicating a collaborative relationship.
• OSAAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured as a partner logo on the clinic's homepage.
• Seraphin LegalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured as a partner logo on the clinic's homepage.
• Fondation des FemmesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured as a partner logo on the clinic's homepage, indicating collaboration in the field of women's rights.
• France Terre d'AsilecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership allowing members of the Foreigners and Asylum Law pole to attend permanences held by France Terre d'Asile. For DEA (Droit des étrangers et de l'asile) clinicans, participation in 3 FTDA permanences counts as 1 case toward their clinicien certificate.
• Association AsEED SorbonneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of joint events such as the conference 'Le tribunal populaire des réseaux sociaux: outil et menace démocratiques' and the conference 'Il n'y a pas qu'avocat dans la vie'.
• NeCIL (Nul n'Est Censé Ignorer la Loi) - BeninminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with the Benin-based group of jurists 'Nul n'Est Censé Ignorer la Loi' (NECIL), which promotes democratization of access to law through vulgarization of legal texts and international legal news. This partnership expands the clinic's international network and opens it to African legal topics.
• Clinique Juridique du Mali (CJ-RCS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership signed with the Clinique Juridique du Mali through its Director, Monsieur Boureima Tabalaba. This partnership, established in 2020, expands the clinic's international reach to West Africa.
• CJFD (Clinique Juridique Franco-Dirayef) - Fès, MoroccominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with the Fès, Morocco antenna of the Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne, run by students of the Master Droit des affaires franco-marocain at Université Euromed de Fès (UEMF).
• Délégation des Français de l'Étranger (DFE) - RoumanieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of the Clinique Juridique Francophone de Bucarest alongside CJFREE, representing French expatriates in Romania.
• Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (École de Droit de la Sorbonne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe founding institution of the clinic. Law students from L2 to M2 participate under the supervision of professors and practitioners from the École de Droit. The certificate du clinicien is co-signed by the École de Droit. The clinic represents the university as the largest student legal clinic in France.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• France Terre d'Asile: Established French NGO providing legal aid and asylum services. Strategic partner of CJS that hosts the Foreigners and Asylum pole's legal permanences. Operates in overlapping domains (immigration/asylum law) but at a far larger and more established scale.

Direct peers

• Clinique Juridique de Nice: Student legal clinic at Université Côte d'Azur. Direct peer operating the same free legal assistance and student training model; participant in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium at Sorbonne in March 2025.
• Clinique Juridique de Lyon III: Student legal clinic at Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 offering free legal information to the public and practical training to law students. Participated in CJS's first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium in March 2025, making it a direct peer with the same operating model.
• Clinique Juridique de Lille: Student legal clinic at Université de Lille offering free legal information services supervised by legal professionals. A direct peer that participated in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium and operates the same volunteer-clinician model.
• Clinique Juridique de Bordeaux: Student legal clinic at the University of Bordeaux providing free legal assistance and practical training. Participated in CJS's first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium, indicating an identical student-clinician operating model across French universities.
• Clinique Juridique de Paris 8 (Saint-Denis): Founded by Benjamin Pitcho, this is a direct peer French student legal clinic at Université Paris 8 that participated in the first National Inter-Clinics Colloquium organized by CJS. Operates the same student-clinician model with free legal assistance and professional supervision.

Regional players

• Fondation des Femmes: French foundation supporting women's rights through legal aid and advocacy. Listed as a partner on CJS's homepage and collaborates on the Women's Rights pole. Operates complementary but more resource-intensive legal services in France.

Emerging players

• Clinique Juridique du Mali (CJ-RCS): Partner student legal clinic in Mali directed by Monsieur Boureima Tabalaba; collaboration agreement signed with CJS in 2020. Operates a comparable student-clinician model in a West African legal context, making it a thematic international peer.
• NeCIL (Nul n'Est Censé Ignorer la Loi) - Benin: Benin-based group of jurists promoting democratization of access to law through vulgarization of legal texts. International partner of CJS that opens the network to African legal topics with a comparable access-to-law mission.

Others

• Village Justice: French online legal platform and media outlet that publishes legal content and connects users with lawyers. Featured as a partner on CJS's homepage; serves as a distribution and ecosystem partner for the student clinic movement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cjsorbonne
• Facebookfacebook.com/cliniquejuridiquesorbonne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/lacliniquejuridiquedeparis
• Instagraminstagram.com/cliniquejuridiquesorbonne

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clinique Juridique de la Sorbonne