From March 12 to 14, 2025 in the throat, in Guadeloupe, will be held The first campus dedicated to overseas. How is this event unprecedented in the legal and economic landscape?
« This event is new for the Paris bar, because it is the first time in 12 years of existence of legal campuses, organized by our bar, that a campus will be dedicated to overseas territories. Until now, these campuses were exclusively international, organized around the world, with the aim of promoting exchanges and meetings between lawyers of the Paris Bar and their counterparts from other international jurisdictions. For the first time, we innovate with a campus not international, but specifically devoted to overseas. This approach reflects our desire to create or strengthen the links between the Paris bar and the ultramarine bars. We are keen to build solid bridges between these jurisdictions.
We hope to welcome a large number of lawyers, both the Paris bar and the various partner bars. This first campus will be organized in collaboration with the Bar of Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy. We also want the participation of lawyers from other ultramarian jurisdictions, in order to enrich exchanges and make this meeting a real success. »
Among the themes addressed, the environment and the repair of damage occupy a central place. What specific challenges do ultramarian territories meet in these fields, and what opportunities for collective litigation could emerge?
« On the environmental component, the ultramarine territories are faced with issues that can be tragic, of considerable scale for local populations. I think, for example, of the problem of Chlordecone in the Antilles, which is a major environmental and health drama. On the question of the compensation of prejudices, it is also a question of approaching bodily and material repairs in the light of environmental disasters or complex historical issues. Finally, due to their geographic positioning, the ultramarine territories are faced with ecological and environmental specificities which require special attention within the framework of environmental law. These are fundamental themes in the system we offer. »
In terms of the development of ultramarine territories, what levers is the campus hoping to highlight?
« The ultramarine territories benefit, by definition and from because of their geographic positioning, from a strategic place on the international scene. I am convinced that law, which is also a market, naturally is part of an international dimension and can play a key role in this context. There is a real international potential linked to ultramarine territories, especially for law practitioners in Europe. This potential is an essential lever that we want to highlight during the campus. This strategic positioning deserves to be exploited and reinforced through concrete initiatives. For example, last November, Guadeloupe welcomed the 77ᵉ annual conference of the Institute of Jurists in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. This type of event can serve as an exceptional platform for lawyers, offering them a resonance and an impact on the scale of an entire region. We register fully in this dynamic, because law is a fundamental lever that it is crucial to highlight. »
Arbitration and mediation are more and more privileged to resolve disputes. What advantages can these amicable payment methods specifically offer in a cross-border context between the metropolis and overseas?
« Arbitration and mediation represent valuable alternative solutions in the face of common challenges encountered in matters of justice, whether in France or overseas. One of the main issues concerns the significant lengthening of judicial deadlines. These devices not only shorten these deadlines, but also to unclog the courts by offering effective alternatives. In overseas, where the economic fabric is mainly composed of VSEs and SMEs (more than 90 %), alternative disputes of disputes, such as mediation, are particularly suitable. They limit costs, maintain a constructive dialogue between the parties, and transform the actors into real participants in the resolution of their disputes. These tools are essential to meet the specific needs of these territories and deserve to be highlighted and developed more overseas. »
Can you give us an overview of the highlights of this event?
« The highlights of this event first reside in meetings and exchanges. It is not only an opportunity for colleagues lawyers to meet, but also to establish a dialogue with economic actors, academics, and other stakeholders. This could also be an opportunity to think about creating partnerships between ultramarine bars and the Paris bar, allowing, why not, to pool good practices if necessary. Moreover, several academic initiatives, such as the creation of a chair overseas in Sciences Po in recent years, already illustrate this desire for collaboration. As we mentioned, mediation will also be at the heart of the discussions. This event could offer the opportunity to train mediators specializing in cross -border relationships, thus strengthening skills in this specific field. Strong moments will also include organized conferences. I can't wait for this event to take place, and I hope it will bring together many lawyers, economic and political actors. »
-To go further:
Look at the Overseas with Vanessa Bousardo, vice-bâtonnière of the Paris bar, committed for equality and diversity, on the initiative of the Overseas Campus in March 2025 in Guadeloupe | Outremers360
| A strategic program to shape the future of the law overseas On a day and a half, the campus will tackle various and strategic themes: Territories as development opportunities : Analysis of the geographic and economic assets of Guadeloupe as an international crossroads, highlighting local entrepreneurship, and exploration of promising sectors such as tourism and the sea. Regional planning and legal issues of the tourism sector : Decryption of legal specificities linked to insularity, town planning law, environmental constraints, and tourist investments overseas. Arbitration and mediation : Discussion around amicable solutions and legal instruments adapted to regional and cross -border particularities. Environment and compensation for damage : Focus on major subjects such as chlordecone pollution, collective damages, and compensation issues in an environmental context. More info on: https://www.avocatparis.org/agenda-des-formations/campus-outre-mer |
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