Study Abroad in Law School? Forum

[wehman]

Hi,

I was curious if anyone on TLS that is currently in law school is planning on some kind of externship or intership offered by their school overseas and if yes, what school do you go to and the details? Also, what schools are known for offering international opportunities like this (in Tier 1) ? Also, if someone could give me an idea of what the process of becoming/applying to work at an international law firm/a BigLaw firm that has an international branch, that would be amazing. I am very interested in international law... I think.

Thanks.

[Kiersten1985]

Bump. I'm also interested.

[daniel5215]

Bump. I'm also interested.

+1

[Rock of Love]

Most Tier 1 schools offer opportunities to study abroad, if not during the semester, then during the summer. You really have to research schools individually, however, because it varies as to which countries schools have connections. Vanderbilt has a Vanderbilt in Venice program, for example, that's well established. Good luck on your search.

[wehman]

Thanks rock of love. I would love to hear back from any one else who has feedback on this topic or from anyone who has personally studied abroad while in Law school. I would be interested in Europe- London or Spain possibly Italy but I'll have Spanish experience in undergrad and a semester in London interning in undergrad as well.

[DannyJames]

i will be looking into this right away when i decide on my school. it's a great chance to see the world and give you a reward after 1L

[akili]

I know Notre Dame has a study abroad program in London.

[Springsteen]

Fordham offers summer programs in Ireland and Korea, and has programs with schools in Rio De Janiero and the College of Management Law School in Israel, who runs a program in England at Oxford/University of London.

[wehman]

Any other people on this site looking into this/anybody know of any other schools with connections?

[Rock of Love]

NYU is considered to have one of the top programs in international law. They offer study abroad opportunities in around 10-15 countries, but only a limited amount of students can go each semester or year. On their law school's Web site, click on the "global" heading and you can research their global center.

[wehman]

Thanks a lot. That would be unreal. Would a 3.7 170 get me into NYU?

[Alexandria]

It seems like most schools offer this. I go to Michigan, which offers study abroad opportunities in a number of places (these don't get taken advantage of that much... I know a couple people who just graduated who did this last year, and I'm aware of one guy from the current 3L class). International externships seem to be more common. In particular, there are programs in place for Geneva and South Africa that send a few students each year.

I didn't want to miss a whole semester (being away from husband and also missing out on a semester's worth of "real" law school classes), so I worked abroad 1L year. I'm really happy to have done this. My language skills are good, though, so that helped in finding a position.

[gocubs2010]

I've looked at the programs at many schools and they all seem to say that you can go and study abroad under any school's program as long as you finished your 1L year and are still in good academic standing to return to your 1L school. just find a school that has a program in the city of your choice and you should be good to go no matter where you end up

[tintin]

I too am curious about this. Are you at a disadvantage if you study abroad during a time when people are looking for jobs / interviewing / etc? Have people found their time abroad worthwhile and useful? Are these programs hard to get into?

[usuaggie]

Not a law student yet, so take my opinion as just that.

It seems like study abroad is a good option if you know WHY you are doing it. It needs to serve a purpose, like you want to do international law. If you are doing it to not work or to party, probably a bad choice.

Things you would gain
Personal experience
Intl connections
new perspective. views on different social issues are very different in europe, asia, etc. (obviously).

Things you lose
a year of work/connections in your own state/country
a chance to work and test difference areas of law
money, possibly lack of pay and definitely paying to be in the program.

[Core]

Surprisingly, it looks like UChicago doesn't have a study abroad program.

[chadwick218]

Surprisingly, it looks like UChicago doesn't have a study abroad program.

Because UChicago doesn't need to have a study abroad program. Unless you can fit a short program in between summer employment and the fall semester, my honest opinion is that the study abroad program is looked down upon by employers and is suggestive that you couldn't find anything else to do with your summer.

[Z3RO]

Surprisingly, it looks like UChicago doesn't have a study abroad program.

If you get into a top 10 school, I don't understand why you would leave to go study abroad, even over the summer.

UChicago not having a study abroad program doesn't surprise me. It's all a part of the omniscient invisible hand of the market...

[Aberzombie1892]

Tulane offers a massive array of summer abroad programs and semester abroad programs. Also there is the ability to work at a French firm over the summer if you can speak french fluently.

Semester Abroad Programs:
* Argentina
University of Buenos Aires
* Australia
University of New South Wales
* Denmark
University of Copenhagen
* France
University Jean Moulin (Lyon)
University of Strasbourg
* Germany
University of Heidelberg
Bucerius University
* Hong Kong
University of Hong Kong
* China
Fudan University (Shanghai)
* Italy
University of Bologna
University of Siena
* Japan
Chuo University (faculty only)
* The Netherlands
University of Amsterdam
* Spain
ESADE Law School, University Ramon Llull (Barcelona)

Summer Abroad Programs:
ENGLAND
Trinity College (Cambridge)
University of London (Queen Mary's School of Law)
FRANCE
Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris
GERMANY
Institut für Anwaltsrecht of the Humboldt University Law Faculty
GREECE
Aegean Institute of the Law of the Sea and Maritime Law (w/Law Schools of the Universities of Thessaloniki and Athens - 3 different sessions total)
ITALY
Tulane-Siena Institute for International Law and the Arts (classes will be held at Facolta di Giurisprudenza)
NETHERLANDS
The Tulane Center for International Human Rights and International Criminal Law

http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsabroad/
http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsAcademicPr ... px?id=1750

[Z3RO]

Tulane offers a massive array of summer abroad programs and semester abroad programs. Also there is the ability to work at a French firm over the summer if you can speak french fluently.

Semester Abroad Programs:
* Argentina
University of Buenos Aires
* Australia
University of New South Wales
* Denmark
University of Copenhagen
* France
University Jean Moulin (Lyon)
University of Strasbourg
* Germany
University of Heidelberg
Bucerius University
* Hong Kong
University of Hong Kong
* China
Fudan University (Shanghai)
* Italy
University of Bologna
University of Siena
* Japan
Chuo University (faculty only)
* The Netherlands
University of Amsterdam
* Spain
ESADE Law School, University Ramon Llull (Barcelona)

Summer Abroad Programs:
ENGLAND
Trinity College (Cambridge)
University of London (Queen Mary's School of Law)
FRANCE
Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris
GERMANY
Institut für Anwaltsrecht of the Humboldt University Law Faculty
GREECE
Aegean Institute of the Law of the Sea and Maritime Law (w/Law Schools of the Universities of Thessaloniki and Athens - 3 different sessions total)
ITALY
Tulane-Siena Institute for International Law and the Arts (classes will be held at Facolta di Giurisprudenza)
NETHERLANDS
The Tulane Center for International Human Rights and International Criminal Law

http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsabroad/
http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsAcademicPr ... px?id=1750

I'm anti-study abroad in LS (I think it's something you should have gotten out of the way in UG), but if you go to Tulane, do what you can to go to Heidelberg over the summer. You won't regret it; it's one of the absolute jewels of Europe.

[Borhas]

serious question, here

is study abroad something wealthy people do for fun, or is it actually beneficial to one's academic/career success?

[chadwick218]

serious question, here

is study abroad something wealthy people do for fun, or is it actually beneficial to one's academic/career success?

LOL. I think that in undergrad there is a greater payoff given the fact that many undergraduates really don't have all that much in the way of summer options. I just question whether there is same payoff in law school (given the foregone opportunities)

[cubswin]

serious question, here

is study abroad something wealthy people do for fun, or is it actually beneficial to one's academic/career success?

Mostly former, though it also provides them material for a banal personal statement about experiencing another culture. If that PS works, I suppose it could be deemed a beneficial undertaking.

[Alexandria]

serious question, here

is study abroad something wealthy people do for fun, or is it actually beneficial to one's academic/career success?

I think it can be either.

You don't have to be wealthy... I was a lower middle-class kid who won a scholarship to go abroad in high school. And, beyond opening my eyes to the world out there (sounds stupid when someone else says it, but when you're the one experiencing it, it can be very meaningful), it definitely shaped my career... I ended up majoring in foreign languages and working for the State Department before law school. And once in law school, the language skills got me my 1L job. That job might have helped me get my 2L/post-graduation job. And the language skills might come into play in my future legal career, but maybe not.

On the other hand, it can be a really fun way to party away a college semester.

PS-- if you mean specifically in law school... personally don't think it has much career value. Maybe if you do manage to get a career that would use that type of knowledge (the classes tend to be geared toward foreign or international law), it would be useful. But I don't think it's going to get you that job if you aren't otherwise qualified (good school, good grades).

[darknightbegins]

When I was working on my master's degree I did a summer in London. Hell of a time. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. Is it something I would do in Law School? Probably not unless I could study at Oxford or Cambridge for the summer. Being able to drop those names as places you studied during a summer would seem to have alot of value. Other than that probably a useless(fun) endevour unless you are devoted to internation law or want to to work in a specific country after you graduate in some capacity.