2004 – Founding of the Institut de Défense Pénale (IDP)

In 2004, Alain Molla and Philippe Vouland, convinced that the criminal lawyer’s craft is learnt through experience and informal exchanges, decided to create the Institut de Défense Pénale (IDP). They wanted to preserve and formalise the lessons learnt in the corridors of the courts and the nearby cafés, where conversations and shared experiences complement traditional training.

The IDP aims to provide horizontal training, encouraging exchanges and mutual learning between professionals rather than a hierarchical transmission of knowledge. This philosophy, inspired by the thinking of Daniel Soulez Larivière, a great Paris lawyer, is based on the idea that every lawyer can offer valuable lessons, whatever their experience or status.

Since its creation, the Institut de Défense Pénale has structured this way of passing on knowledge by organising training courses, meetings and exchanges between lawyers. The aim is to create an environment in which lawyers can learn from one another in a collaborative and ongoing way.

Today, the IDP is run by Marie Burguburu, François Saint-Pierre and Philippe Vouland, who continue to promote this collaborative vision of criminal law training. The institute plays a crucial role in training criminal lawyers, offering them a space to share knowledge and experience in a dynamic and interactive way.