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ELSA’s Network consists of 44 National Groups and more than 400 Local Groups. Every month, numerous projects are organised across Europe in cooperation with a wide range of partners, including law firms, public institutions, educational centres, and universities. Given the size of the Network, different ELSA Groups may often seek to establish cooperation with the same external entities. To ensure a coordinated approach, avoid misunderstandings, and maintain the Association’s professional reputation, all Groups should follow the international procedure for contacting external partners.
To help you find your way around, you’re welcome to start by having a look at the External Relations Database, where contacts and the ELSA groups that partner with them are listed alphabetically.
Contact Procedure
Contact Procedure
Contacting International Contacts
Contacting International Contacts
It refers to both corporate and institutional contacts (the definitions can be found here).
Request permission of the International Board of ELSA by submitting the Contact Approval Form.
The International Board of ELSA shall respond within seven days from receiving the Contact Approval Form and approve or reject the request. If rejected, a concrete reason (contacts creating or likely to create damage to the image, reputation, ongoing negotiations, or financial stability of ELSA) for the refusal shall be stated.
May contact the respective entity once the permission is granted, the deadline for approval has expired, or no concrete reason for refusal has been given.
National Groups may request the permission on behalf their Local Groups. Local Officers are asked to contact their National Board Officers first and check whether they can apply on their own or national interference is necessary.
Contacting National Contacts
Contacting National Contacts
It refers to corporate and institutional contacts as well as the local branches of the international institution (the definitions can be found here).
Request permission via email from the respective National Group. This request shall include the location, the website URL, and information regarding the nature and content of the contact.
National Groups shall respond within seven days from receiving the email and approve or reject the request. If rejected a concrete reason (as above) for the refusal shall be stated.
May contact the respective entity once the permission is granted, the deadline for approval has expired, or no concrete reason for refusal has been given.
National Groups may request the permission on behalf their Local Groups. Local Officers are asked to contact their National Board Officers first and check whether they can apply on their own or national interference is necessary.
Exceptions
Exceptions
In terms of a project or event that is organised or co-organised by ELSA International (e.g. the International Council Meetings, the EHRMCC and the JHJMCC Regional Rounds) we apply the following exceptional procedure:
Request permission from the International Board of ELSA and any respective National Group before contacting any corporate or institutional contact.
The procedure does not apply to contacts with service providers who are only active locally or within one country.
The above procedures do not apply to contacting corporate or institutional contacts in order to obtain materials or products intended for promotion free of charge.
Responsibilities and Sanctions
Responsibilities and Sanctions
In accordance with the ICM Decision Book, the International Board of ELSA maintains a contact approval system and an international External Relations Database.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities
National Groups provide a necessary information to update the database and are liable for any violations of this external relations procedure conducted within their National Network. This means taking responsibility not only for your own actions, but also for Local Groups, regardless of whether Officers were aware of the Local Group's plans or not.
Sanctions
Sanctions
In case of violation involved parties shall:
Reach an agreement on a suitable sanction within six months from the becoming aware of such violation,
Inform the International Council about the agreed sanction (regardless of whether the International Board of ELSA is involved or not)
Submit a copy of the agreement to the International Board of ELSA.
In case of no agreement, the International Council shall decide on a suitable sanction.
Amounts of financial penalties:
Corporate contacts: not more than the amount received from the contact during the past two years by the affected National or Local Group, or ELSA International,
Institutional contacts: not more than €3,000.
Evaluation Procedure
Evaluation Procedure
After receiving the approval for contacting respective entities, National Groups are obliged to follow the reporting procedure:
International contact (corporate/institutional): submitting within two months from receiving the permission to contact the Contact Evaluation Form, stating the outcome of the contact.
National contact (corporate/institutional): sending within two months from receiving the permission to contact an email to the respective National Group, stating the outcome of the contact.
For further information, please feel free to take a look into the External Relations Procedure Guide, additionally you can reach out to president@elsa.org or externalrelations@elsa.org.
Please bear in mind that this section is still a work in progress at the moment.
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