The french national school of the judiciary

www.enm.justice.fr

The French National School of the Judiciary, the ENM, was founded in 1958 and trains all French judges and prosecutors. Its director is Jean-François THONY. The School has two main departments : the Recruitment, Initial Training & Research Department based at the ENM’s headquarters in Bordeaux ; and the Department of Continuing Education, International Affairs & Specialised Vocational Training based in Paris.

Future members of the judiciary are recruited via competitive entrance exams to assess their in-depth legal knowledge and the essential capacities required for such an office (simulations, interviews). Some are also recruited on the basis of their successful, professional experience in the legal sector. Initial training lasts 31 months and is mainly comprised of internships. The teaching method places as much importance on technical skills as on the knowledge that any judicial function requires (ethics, communication and the judicial environment, administration of justice etc.). The 8000 judiciary members in office are obliged to undergo continuing education, and every year, nearly 600 national and local training sessions are organised to best meet their specific requirements. The School is also involved in training law professionals and lay judges.

The ENM has a long-standing tradition of international outreach, and today, this is found in all aspects of training (foreign languages, the international dimension of justice, mandatory internships overseas, and the development of judicial exchange programmes). The ENM recently increased its international technical cooperation in the field of judicial training, and opened its initial and ongoing training programmes to members of foreign judiciaries.