ELSA was founded in 1981 in Vienna by law students from Austria, Poland, Hungary and the Federal Republic of Germany. Starting with that, different National Groups developed.

History of ELSA Switzerland
1989, the first local group was founded in Neuchâtel in Western Switzerland. As a national umbrella organisation, ELSA Switzerland was founded 1994. Today, ELSA is represented on 9 Universities in Switzerland with more than 3'000 members. Thus, every law student in Switzerland has the opportunity to join ELSA.

On the international level ELSA’s development continued. There were different national groups with mostly one local group per country. In March 1988 there were already 15 different national groups: Austria, Poland, Hungary – the three founders, all four Scandinavian countries, Iceland, The United Kindom, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Malta and Ex-Jugoslavia.

Today, ELSA is prestent in 42 countries all over Europe with more than 30'000 members!