Trainings on Strategic Litigation
Trainings on Strategic Litigation
The series of trainings on strategic litigation will provide participants with an understanding of using strategic litigation to safeguard key democratic principles, such as judicial independence, judicial accountability, and the rule of law. Participants of the trainings will acquire skills to incorporate EU law and legal instruments into their advocacy and litigation strategies.
The fundamental training sessions are destined for those interested in embarking on strategic litigation and improving their skills and knowledge of the topic, while the advanced training sessions offer a deep-dive into strategic litigation techniques and related issues.
The trainings are meant for civil society organizations (CSOs), legal practitioners, and human rights defenders from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Applicants from other EU Member States may be able to join the trainings depending on the availability of places. The CEELI Institute will provide accommodation and reimburse travel expenses of selected participants.
Fundamental training sessions
Fundamental training sessions focus on the importance of strategic litigation in defending the rule of law and how to build successful litigation strategies. The sessions will explore:
How the EU law and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights can be utilized in both national courts and European courts.
Case studies and practical examples.
Strategic approaches, including the importance of case selection, framing legal arguments, and considering the broader implications for national and European legal systems.
Fundamental rights and rule of law cases that can lead to significant legal precedents.
Legal remedies and redress mechanisms available under EU law, including how to seek reparations for violations of fundamental rights, file complaints with the EU courts, and leverage existing EU legislation to ensure the enforcement of rights.
Advanced training sessions
The advanced training sessions on strategic litigation will provide participants with the practical aspects of strategic litigation at both the national and EU levels. The sessions will explore:
How to conduct complex litigation aimed at enforcing and defending fundamental rights, with a focus on high-impact cases that can set legal precedents.
Advanced litigation techniques.
How to address Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), and how to use the latest EU legal instruments to counter such tactics.
How to identify and prioritize cases with the highest potential for success and impact, particularly those that can establish new legal precedents.
Mapping out litigation strategies, including planning for multiple stages of litigation, anticipating potential obstacles, and integrating advocacy and media strategies to amplify the impact of the case.
How to draft legal submissions that highlight Charter rights violations in a convincing and legally sound manner.
How to apply CJEU and ECHR case-law effectively.
Important information
The trainings will be held in English.
The EMPOWER project will reimburse participants’ actual travel expenses up to the maximum amounts in the table below based on your workplace location, as well as cover a three-night accommodation in Prague.
Participants will be accommodated in single rooms at the CEELI Institute facility, where the training will take place. The CEELI institute will provide meals during the conference, which include coffee breaks and lunch.
The maximum amount of reimbursement of your travel expenses is the following, depending on the location of your workplace:
Distance in kilometers | Maximum amount in EUR per return trip
Below 400 KM |100 EUR
400-600 KM |245 EUR
601-800 KM |261 EUR
801-1200 KM |276 EUR
1201-1600 KM |288 EUR
1601-2000 KM |369 EUR
Interested CSOs, legal practitioners, and human rights defenders from EU Member States are invited to complete the application form below for one of the first two trainings.
APPLY HERE
for October and November 2025 trainings
*Please note that the application deadline for the first October training is 21 September 2025.The application for later trainings will open in the coming weeks.
For questions related to travel arrangements, please contact Anastasiia Hirzekorn: Anastasiia.Hirzekorn@ceeli.eu. For questions related to the trainings on strategic litigation, please contact Marianne Bajgar Aalto Marianne.BajgarAalto@ceeli.eu.
The trainings are funded by the European Union’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV).