We're looking for a German legal trainee (Wahlstation) to join us in Lisbon or remotely!
Work on real EU consumer protection and collective redress cases, learning strategic litigation hands-on with our President Lena Hornkohl, a fully qualified German lawyer and Professor of European Law at the University of Vienna, and our international team.
Interested? Find out more below!
German Legal Clerkship (Wahlstation) Collective Redress & EU Consumer Protection in Lisbon, Portugal, or remote
Would you like to spend your elective placement (Wahlstation) not only analysing the law, but also helping to ensure that European consumer rights are effectively enforced in practice? At Ius Omnibus, you will work at the intersection of EU law, consumer law, competition law, data protection law, civil procedure and strategic litigation. You will gain insight into real cross-border proceedings and engage with current questions of collective enforcement and effective judicial protection.
About Ius Omnibus
Ius Omnibus is a non-profit consumer protection organisation established in Portugal in 2020 with a strong European focus. A key area of our work is strategic litigation and collective enforcement. Ius Omnibus brings representative and collective actions in areas including consumer law, competition law, data protection, digital regulation and unfair commercial practices so far before Portuguese and Spanish courts, including proceedings reaching the Court of Justice of the European Union. We also participate in public enforcement proceedings across Europe, for example as a complainant, and contribute to European policy debates and public consultations, including those conducted by the European Commission.
Your training and supervision will be provided by Prof. Dr Lena Hornkohl, LL.M., President of Ius Omnibus, a fully qualified German lawyer and Professor of European Law at the University of Vienna. You will also work closely with Ius Omnibus staff in Portugal and with the members of our international Board.
Your Placement (Wahlstation)
During your placement, you will support us in the legal analysis of ongoing and potential proceedings as well as other projects. You will gain insight into different stages of strategic litigation – from identifying potential infringements and conducting substantive and procedural legal analysis to questions of case design, damages calculation and cross-border enforcement.
You can complete your elective placement at our office in Lisbon, where you will work directly with our Portuguese colleagues. This also offers the opportunity to spend several months in one of Europe’s most international and attractive capitals while gaining practical experience in a genuinely European working environment.
Alternatively, the placement can be completed fully remotely. Cooperation with the members of our international Board is in any event largely digital. Regular meetings, individual feedback, close academic supervision and – depending on the timing of your placement – opportunities to participate in events and professional meetings are an integral part of the placement.
Your Potential Tasks
Legal research on current issues of European consumer and economic law and analysis of recent case law of the CJEU and national courts, in particular concerning:
Collective, representative and class actions from a comparative European perspective, with particular emphasis on the Representative Actions Directive;
Articles 101 and 102 TFEU and the private enforcement of competition law;
The DMA, DSA, GDPR, AI Act and other areas of digital regulation;
International jurisdiction, applicable law and cross-border enforcement.
Contributing to the analysis of ongoing and potential collective proceedings.
Assisting with internal case assessments and legal opinions
Contributing to academic and policy publications, public consultations and events.
At the beginning of your placement, we will agree on an individual area of substantive focus.
What We Are Looking For
Successful completion of the First German State Examination in Law.
Admission to the German legal traineeship (Rechtsreferendariat) and an upcoming elective placement (Wahlstation).
Very good legal research and writing skills.
An interest in EU law, cross-border legal issues, consumer law, competition law, data protection or civil procedure. Previous knowledge in these areas is welcome, but not required.
An interest in new and, in some cases, legally unsettled questions.
An analytical, structured and independent working style.
Very good command of English; Portuguese or Spanish language skills are welcome but not required.
What We Offer
The opportunity to contribute to real, socially relevant and forward-looking European proceedings.
Insight into strategic litigation and collective enforcement.
Work on current and, in some cases, legally unsettled questions.
The opportunity to complete your elective placement on site in Lisbon and gain experience in an international European environment.
An individual substantive focus tailored to your interests.
Close supervision and regular feedback.
Collaboration with an international team.
Flexible working arrangements compatible with preparation for the Second State Examination.
Opportunities to contribute to academic and policy projects.
Depending on the timing of your placement, participation in events and professional meetings.
Additional remuneration subject to individual agreement and the applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Recognition as an Elective Placement (Wahlstation)
The placement is subject to recognition by the competent German judicial training authority. As the applicable requirements differ between the German Länder, we recommend discussing the placement with your Referendargeschäftsstelle or competent Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht) at an early stage.
We are happy to provide a description of the proposed activities, a structured training plan and the necessary information concerning academic and professional supervision.
The position is also suitable as an internship for students or graduates in business law (Wirtschaftsjuristinnen).
Interested?
We look forward to receiving your application in English, including:
your CV
a few short sentences explaining your motivation
your preferred placement period
your German Land and competent Higher Regional Court
your preferred substantive area of focus
Please send your application to the following contacts: joana.moreira@iusomnibus.eu and lena.hornkohl@iusomnibus.eu
We look forward to applications from legal trainees who do not merely want to analyse European law but also want to help ensure that it has a real impact in practice.