France

The “Paris-Saclay / White & Case Challenge”
2024

5th Edition

The annual legal challenge for students in Business Law

Since 2020, White & Case and the University of Paris-Saclay (through its Master 2 Business, Tax and Financial Market Law program co-directed by Professor Véronique Magnier and Professor Yann Paclot) have been organizing the "Paris-Saclay / White & Case Challenge for the Best Business Law Team of Tomorrow," an annual legal competition in business law for Master 2 and DJCE law students from all French universities, as well as students from Grandes Écoles de commerce and the Sciences Po Law School. This challenge aims to put into practice the general knowledge acquired in business law through practical cases prepared by White & Case partners, which raise issues in corporate law, tax law, and labor law.

This initiative reflects the firm's commitment to sharing the experience of its lawyers with students and contributing to the practical training of the lawyers and jurists of tomorrow.

The "Paris-Saclay / White & Case Challenge" is an excellent opportunity for fifth-year law students to apply their knowledge in a professional context and develop essential practical skills.

Students are invited to examine practical cases related to complex legal situations they might encounter in their professional practice of business law and to propose solutions they will have to defend before a jury composed of academics, leading practitioners, and lawyers from the firm. Inspired by real cases handled by lawyers in their professional practice, the "Paris-Saclay / White & Case Challenge for the Best Business Law Team of Tomorrow" offers students a unique opportunity to exchange and confront their ideas with the firm's partners and legal professionals, as well as to familiarize themselves with the professional challenges they will face in their future careers.

The "Paris-Saclay / White & Case Challenge" takes place from late October to early December. Teams are composed of 3 students, and the competition consists of three stages:

1. All teams receive a first practical case. They are invited to write a response within a given timeframe, which they will send to the jury.
2. Teams selected at the end of the first round, based on the quality of their written response, are invited to participate in the semi-final at the University of Paris-Saclay, where they will present their work orally to the jury and answer questions.
3. At the end of the second round, the 3 or 4 selected teams are invited to participate in the grand final at White & Case's offices. Each team will have three hours to address a new practical case (which continues from the first) and present their responses orally to the jury, which will then designate and reward the winning team.

Members of the best business law team of tomorrow will be offered an internship at White & Case in the department and for the period of their choice, thus completing this immersive experience in the world of business law.

For any question or request for information, please contact Jean-François Le Corre at the following address: jflecorre@whitecase.com.