Business and Human Rights Clinic

The Business and Human Rights Clinic seeks to contribute to cases and projects that advance human rights, to address the consequences of the global economy on human rights (specifically on economic and social rights) and to engage in corporate accountability efforts that address the human rights impact of business activities.

In the Business and Human Rights Clinic, students are given the opportunity to work on cases and projects that address the impact the globalized economy may have, or has had, on human rights. In the current global economy, many corporations operate transnationally. As a consequence, clinic projects are cross boundary: they often touch on different jurisdictions and require an interdisciplinary approach. 

The Business and Human Rights Clinic’s projects see to complex legal questions with a public interest character. Students analyse corporate activities against, among others, the existing business and human rights framework to protect, respect and promote.

In the clinic, a critical approach is taken towards the law and the current economic system, addressing the power balance between corporations and workers, communities and the environment. Students get to work in a collaborative manner with individuals, communities and organizations, based on a trust relationship.

Clinical work

During the clinic, you will combine theory and practice. You will conduct legal research and provide pro bono legal advice to private individuals, non-governmental organizations, and international governmental organizations. Clinical work consists of projects undertaken for, amongst others, clients and non-governmental organizations. Students work in teams of 3-5 students under close supervision of staff members. Part of the clinical work are regular meetings between the student, the supervisor and the clients. Emphasis is placed on professionalism, high quality work, teamwork, and respect for confidentiality.

Upcoming projects

In the first semester of the academic year 2024/2025, the Business and Human Rights Clinic will work on multiple projects. For the client Migrant Justice, students will research the judicial and non-judicial strategies in the Netherlands regarding human rights violations in the supply chain of Ahold Delhaize. In a project for Amnesty International, students will do research into the possibilities for host state litigation, to create an insight for future litigation. In a third project, research will be done for SOMO (the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations) into the possibility of developing an extensive regulatory framework explicitly concerning the auditing & certification industry. Knowledge of private and administrative law is preferred. In previous semesters, students of the Business & Human Rights Clinic have worked together closely with the Land & Territory Clinic of the Javeriana University in Colombia. Next semester another project with them will be worked on. Knowledge of the Spanish language is preferable here. 

Prior projects 

• Research into structural discrimination of Muslims by banks and financial institutions. For more information on the topic, see the following Dutch news itemExternal link.
• Working on a draft complaint to be filed before the OECD National Contact Point in the Netherlands regarding damages linked to multinational corporations in Brazil.
• Since 2021, students have worked on projects in conjunction with the Clínica Jurídica en Derecho y Territorio of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. One of these projects entailed factual and legal research into the activities of a multinational corporation in Latin America causing environmental damage. Another involved researching the legal responsibility of a multinational for partial responsibility in the commission of war crimes. In the context of this transnational cooperation an amicus curiae brief regarding fracking pilot projects in Colombia was presented before the Colombian Constitutional Court. Click here for more information about the case and the amicus curiae brief.
• Research for a trade union into the application of labour laws to unfair practices in companies' supply chains.
• Researching  the possibilities of legally challenging arms exports to countries engaged in armed conflict and involved in the commission of serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. In this project students worked together with investigative journalists.
• In the academic year 2019-2020, students from the Business and Human Rights Clinic have been conducting a multi-jurisdictional research on the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) in Europe. SLAPPs are used by companies or private individuals to sue public watchdogs as a means of legal intimidation. For this project, students have been conducting numerous interviews with lawyers, activists and civil society organizations throughout Europe, as well as analysing the applicable legal framework. 
• The assisting of two NGOs on a case regarding two Dutch corporations that traded goods derived from the occupied territory of Western-Sahara. The clinic analysed the legal implications of the trade. To provide a comprehensive legal analysis the students researched the law on occupied territories, provisions of International Humanitarian Law, Dutch civil procedural law and EU consumer protection laws.

Publications:

Post-sale services in the arms trade: overlooked and underregulated?External link

State actors in the post-sale arms industry: Are the regulated doing the regulating? hallo

Opportunity for internship at the Asser Institute 

The Asser InstituteExternal link offers students who are enrolled in the Business and Human Rights Clinic the opportunity to intern at the Institute. The internship could be combined with thesis writing. Asser will assess Business and Human Rights Clinic enrollment as an asset in the selection process for the internships. Internships start each year in February and enrollment at the University during the internship is required. Credits can be obtained if certain conditions are met. Read more about these conditions.  

Contact us

For any questions regarding the Business and Human Rights Clinic, please email usExternal link or contact Carolijn TerwindtExternal link. 

Requirements, eligibility and application

The Business and Human Rights Clinic is in principle open for all Master's students of the Amsterdam Law School.

Further requirements are:

• You are available at least 10 hours per week 
• You have a strong work ethic, excellent communication and English-writing skills, and a genuine interest in business and human rights and human rights law.

Check out the specifics on how to apply. 

Contact former clinic students

If you're interested in more hands-on information about the clinic and experiences from former Business and Human Rights Clinic students, you can contact any of the following former students. Send us an e-mailExternal link and we will provide you with the relevant contact information.

What our alumni say about the Amsterdam Law Clinics: