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student Blogs27 March 2025
Our Double Degree Students completed a unique challenge
On 24 & 25 March 2025, students from our Double Degree programme based in Essex Law School took part in an exclusive high-level French law competition: a thrilling opportunity to showcase their legal expertise after two years of intensive study in both French and British Law at Essex!
This one-of-a-kind competition mirrors a key stage of the French concours d’agrégation, which academics must pass to become full professors. Over 24 intense hours, participants dived deep into a challenging legal topic, preparing a 45-minute lecture (Leçon) to deliver the next day. More than just an exercise, it’s a test of teamwork, critical thinking, and legal mastery, pushing students to explore the connections between different legal disciplines.
On Monday, four teams of around 11 students each were tasked with working together to enable their designated candidate to deliver a lecture after 24 hours of preparation on challenging topics that emerged from the (twisted) minds of the jury.
The first team, represented by Caroline Rifaux (a second-year Law Double Degree/ LDD student), worked on the famous quote, “With great power comes great responsibility” (Spider-Man, Stan Lee), which led students to reflect on how the balance between power and responsibility is captured in Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Administrative Law, and Family Law.
The second team, with Margaux Mimalé (a second-year LDD student) as the official candidate, reflected on the notion of “promise”, following a statement by a former French President who refused to justify why he had not acted as promised during his campaign: “Promises only commit those who believe them” (Jacques Chirac, 1988).
Led by Clarisse Videau (a second-year LDD student), the third team focused on the ability of law to apprehend scientific innovations, based on the iconic Jurassic Park quote: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should” (Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park, 1993).
Finally, Sixtine Floch (a second-year LDD student) and her team worked on the topic of vulnerability, under French Public & Private Law, after being assigned an extract from Seneca’s masterpiece De Ira: “People do not all take offense in the same way; you ought, then, to know what your own weak point is, that you may guard it with special care.”
Precisely 24 hours after the topic had been assigned, the four candidates delivered their lesson to a jury composed of Professor Audrey Guinchard, Dr Laure Sauvé, Dr Lisa Aerts, and Dr Etienne Durand. The jury was truly impressed by the performance of each candidate, who not only perfectly addressed the topic by raising the various and intricate legal issues associated with it, but also met the time constraint of a 45-minute presentation—no more, no less!
Following lengthy deliberations, Caroline Rifaux and her team were named winners of the Essex French Law Competition 2025. Additionally, the jury commended all three teams on their outstanding work, which far exceeded expectations.
This high-demanding (but rewarding) competition was the perfect chance for students to reflect on the modules they’ve studied at Essex. The challenge was concluded with a grand closing ceremony, chaired by Professor John Bell (University of Cambridge), Ed Poulton (Managing Partner at Baker&McKenzie) and Professor Onyeka Osuji (Dean of the Law School) - a moment of recognition for all participants!
Students and members of the Essex French law team were truly honored and fascinated by the presentation of Professor Bell and Ed Poulton, who both stressed the high relevance of multiculturalism in studying and practicing Law, which is one of the key components of Essex Law School’s identity, as acknowledged by Professor Onyeka Osuji.
This one-of-a-kind competition mirrors a key stage of the French concours d’agrégation, which academics must pass to become full professors. Over 24 intense hours, participants dived deep into a challenging legal topic, preparing a 45-minute lecture (Leçon) to deliver the next day. More than just an exercise, it’s a test of teamwork, critical thinking, and legal mastery, pushing students to explore the connections between different legal disciplines.
Challenging topics
On Monday, four teams of around 11 students each were tasked with working together to enable their designated candidate to deliver a lecture after 24 hours of preparation on challenging topics that emerged from the (twisted) minds of the jury.
The first team, represented by Caroline Rifaux (a second-year Law Double Degree/ LDD student), worked on the famous quote, “With great power comes great responsibility” (Spider-Man, Stan Lee), which led students to reflect on how the balance between power and responsibility is captured in Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Administrative Law, and Family Law.
The second team, with Margaux Mimalé (a second-year LDD student) as the official candidate, reflected on the notion of “promise”, following a statement by a former French President who refused to justify why he had not acted as promised during his campaign: “Promises only commit those who believe them” (Jacques Chirac, 1988).
Led by Clarisse Videau (a second-year LDD student), the third team focused on the ability of law to apprehend scientific innovations, based on the iconic Jurassic Park quote: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should” (Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park, 1993).
Finally, Sixtine Floch (a second-year LDD student) and her team worked on the topic of vulnerability, under French Public & Private Law, after being assigned an extract from Seneca’s masterpiece De Ira: “People do not all take offense in the same way; you ought, then, to know what your own weak point is, that you may guard it with special care.”
Precisely 24 hours after the topic had been assigned, the four candidates delivered their lesson to a jury composed of Professor Audrey Guinchard, Dr Laure Sauvé, Dr Lisa Aerts, and Dr Etienne Durand. The jury was truly impressed by the performance of each candidate, who not only perfectly addressed the topic by raising the various and intricate legal issues associated with it, but also met the time constraint of a 45-minute presentation—no more, no less!
Following lengthy deliberations, Caroline Rifaux and her team were named winners of the Essex French Law Competition 2025. Additionally, the jury commended all three teams on their outstanding work, which far exceeded expectations.
The closing ceremony
This high-demanding (but rewarding) competition was the perfect chance for students to reflect on the modules they’ve studied at Essex. The challenge was concluded with a grand closing ceremony, chaired by Professor John Bell (University of Cambridge), Ed Poulton (Managing Partner at Baker&McKenzie) and Professor Onyeka Osuji (Dean of the Law School) - a moment of recognition for all participants!
Students and members of the Essex French law team were truly honored and fascinated by the presentation of Professor Bell and Ed Poulton, who both stressed the high relevance of multiculturalism in studying and practicing Law, which is one of the key components of Essex Law School’s identity, as acknowledged by Professor Onyeka Osuji.
Congratulations to all!
Our winners
The winning team (pictured below) with Dr Etienne Durand, Professor John Bell, Professor Onyeka Osuji (Dean of the Law School) and Ed Poulton (Managing Partner at Baker&McKenzie).
