The ‘Humboldt Consumer Law Clinic’ as an Example of Civil Society Strengthening of Consumer Rights

‘Law Clinics’, which are based on the voluntary commitment of students in legal advice, have significantly improved access to justice for consumers. On the one hand, they fulfill a didactic function by allowing students to deal with real cases, to prepare legal information in an understandable way, and to get to know current developments in legal professions, especially through the digitization of legal advice. On the other hand, ‘Law Clinics’ fulfill a social function: They strengthen the enforcement of consumer law by overcoming the so-called rational disinterest, by providing free out-of-court legal advice and low-threshold information offers. Against this background, the article explains the concept of the ‘Humboldt Consumer Law Clinic’ of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and addresses current challenges in consumer legal advice.