HSG students provide free assistance with legal issues

‘We handle over 50 legal cases per semester – and there are always some very moving stories among them,’ says Kayla Zinser. She has just completed her law degree at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and is co-president of the student association ‘Law Clinic’. The association offers free legal advice to everyone. ‘We now receive more enquiries from external parties than from HSG members,’ says Zinser. The Law Clinic is one of around 150 student associations and initiatives at HSG.

For many people seeking advice, the association is their first port of call. ‘There is a high barrier to going directly to a solicitor,’ says board member Florence Meier. Often, it helps to remove the emotions from a situation, organise the information and soberly assess what is realistic and what is not.

The association receives enquiries on all kinds of legal issues: tenancy disputes, employment law, inheritance law. Increasingly, it also receives enquiries from startups that need support with setting up a company or with contracts. Sometimes, however, it also receives cases such as disputes between spouses involving joint children.

Law Clinic is also practical preparation

HSG students founded the Law Clinic in 2018 as the first student initiative of its kind in Switzerland. Today, the association has around 50 members, who handled 61 cases in the autumn semester of 2025 – ‘a record,’ as board member and HSG student Michelle Graf says. The board reviews incoming enquiries and distributes them to members for processing. All members are HSG law students and volunteer their time to the Law Clinic.

‘At HSG, we acquire knowledge and skills that enable us to help other people – that is our main motivation,’ says Meier. ‘In addition, we learn a lot for our future professional practice when handling cases.’

The Law Clinic sets clear boundaries for itself. The association deliberately does not deal with criminal and asylum law. ‘These areas are too complex and subject to strict deadlines,’ says Zinser. Furthermore, they are not professional solicitors. Every person who makes an enquiry receives a disclaimer stating that the advice is provided by students. In some cases, the association also rejects enquiries – for example, if the effort involved would exceed its scope or if the issue does not fall within its area of expertise.

Some cases are highly complex

Those who submit an enquiry receive a written report in layman's terms. This report assesses the legal situation and outlines possible next steps. This may be an amicable settlement, a referral to other advice centres, or sometimes a recommendation to consult a solicitor. These reports are usually one to two pages long. ‘But we have also written a 25-page report on a complex case,’ says Graf. Members invest at least half a day in processing a case, often significantly more.

The association has been working with the St. Gallen Bar Association for several years. Students are allowed to sit in on its free legal advice sessions and listen. In cases that require more effort, the association sometimes refers clients to the Law Clinic.

In addition to case work, the Law Clinic offers its members insights into legal practice. There are company visits to law firms and thematic input from lawyers. At the same time, the association is a place for networking and making friends at university. Ultimately, say the three HSG students at the Law Clinic, it simply feels good to help people with their work.