A Study Abroad Program Gives Students Many New Opportunities And ABA Acknowledges Three Categories Of Study-Abroad Programs That Are Foreign Summer Programs, Semester-Abroad Programs And Cooperative Programs.

1. FEATURE www.lawcrossing.com 1. 800.973.1177
Study-Abroad Programs Provide Students with New
Opportunities
[By Heather Jung]
Every year, law students devote countless hours to studying and classes, leaving little time for travel. Study-abroad programs,
however, provide students with the best of worlds: the opportunity to study the law and the chance to visit a foreign country.
Many ABA-approved law schools offer varieties of programs with wide ranges of topics and locations.
According to the ABA, approved law schools The foreign school must: study international trade, commercial law,
“may not grant credit for studies or activities and comparative law, with an emphasis on
in a foreign country unless those studies or . Be government sanctioned if Chinese law. As a former British colony, Hong
activities are approved in accordance with the education is regulated by the state Kong is a hub of legal, social, and political
Rules of Procedure and Criteria adopted by within that country; recognized or change, providing students with the chance
the Council. Outside of programs that meet approved by an evaluating committee; to study international law in an ever-evolving
these Criteria, an ABA-approved law school or chartered to award first degrees. legal system.
may not award credit toward the J.D. degree
to an enrolled student for studies or activities . Provide assurances to the parent Students at Cornell University Law School can
outside the United States.” school that the quality of education study law in Berlin, Germany, in the native
it offers is equal to the education the language. At Humboldt University, Cornell
The ABA acknowledges three categories of student would receive at his or her students can earn both their J.D.s and Master
study-abroad programs: summer programs, parent school. An institution that of German and European Law and Practice
semester-abroad programs, and, on some provides law training to students (M.LL.P.) degrees. As the program is an
occasions, cooperative programs between who have graduated from institutions informal agreement, students must comply with
ABA-approved law schools and foreign that award first degrees in law may Humboldt’s policies and application procedures.
institutions. Each of these types of programs qualify.
has distinct criteria that must be met for Through the Wisconsin-European University
3. Appoint an advisor for each student
students to receive credit. In general, Institute Exchange Program, students from
who will monitor the student’s
students must have completed one year of law the University of Wisconsin Law School study
progress and studies.
school and must be in good standing with the European law at the European University
law school at which they are enrolled. 4. Have faculty members who have Institute, which was established by the
academic credentials and experience European Union.
Cooperative Programs in the legal profession.
Semester-Abroad Programs
Students who wish to individually study the The ABA has currently approved more than 40
law at foreign institutions may do so through cooperative study-abroad programs through Through semester-abroad programs, students
ABA-approved cooperative programs. For a universities such as American University, study law at foreign universities during the
program to be approved, the “parent school” Cornell, and University of Wisconsin at normal school year. While students enrolled
must be approved by the ABA, must “develop destinations ranging from Hong Kong to in cooperative programs are fully integrated
and publish a statement that defines the Berlin to Florence. into foreign schools, students participating
educational objectives” of the program, in semester-abroad programs take classes
and must be responsible for the approval The American University Washington College administered by the sponsoring law schools.
of coursework and monitor the student’s of Law in Washington, DC, has partnered
studies. with the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) The academic content must meet the same
to provide students with the opportunity to criteria as an on-campus program and must
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2. FEATURE www.lawcrossing.com 1. 800.973.1177
also “relate to the socio-local environment The Thomas M. Cooley Law School hosts The Catholic University of America Columbus
of the host country. The number of students a spring program in Melbourne, Australia, School of Law offers the International
must also be limited to the appropriate and Christchurch, New Zealand. The Business and Trade Summer Law Program in
number based on the facilities, number of “Down Under” law program is held in Krakow, Poland. According to the program
faculty, program content, the administrative conjunction with Monash University in brochure, students “receive intense training
support structure, and special education Australia and Canterbury University in New in the global aspects of modern trade and
programs.” Zealand and focuses on comparative and business law, as well as the changing
international law. dynamics of Central European politics and
As they take students away from the law” and “experience the history and culture
traditional law-school setting, there are only Foreign Summer Programs of the city that ‘ranks among the great
a handful of programs available, the majority artistic and cultural complexes of highest
of which are held in London. With more than 200 programs available at value in Europe.’” The program is hosted by
law schools across the country, summer Jagiellonian University and offers classes
The London Law Consortium is a partnership programs are by far the most popular. such as International Business Transactions
of seven law schools, Chicago-Kent College Criteria for the programs themselves are the and Law of the European Union.
of Law, University of Georgia, Indiana same as the criteria for semester programs.
University-Bloomington, University of Destinations range from traditional locales Is Study Abroad Right for You?
Kansas, University of Missouri-Columbia, such as England, Italy, and France to more
University of Utah, and University of Iowa, unique places such as the Czech Republic, Like many programs, study-abroad programs
with the University of Iowa acting as the Dubrovnik (Croatia), and Poland. may not be right for everyone. There are
program administrator. The program is held multiple factors to consider when choosing
each spring and gives students the chance to With two sessions available, students at whether to enroll in a study-abroad program.
take classes on British law and participate in California Western School of Law can Some major issues to consider when
British legal externships. travel to Prague in the Czech Republic to applying for study-abroad programs are cost,
study international environmental law, location, and practicality. If you have specific
Other schools that offer independent London international and comparative criminal questions, ask someone who has participated
programs are Boston College Law School, procedure, international intellectual in the program you are considering or talk
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, property, comparative consumer law, or to someone in the office that coordinates the
Notre Dame Law School, Pace University international mediation. The program is program.
School of Law, Pepperdine University School sponsored by the Consortium for Innovative
of Law, and University of Tulsa School of Legal Education, which includes California On the Net
Law. Western, South Texas College of Law,
William Mitchell School of Law, and New ABA Section of Legal Education
Temple University Beasley School of Law England School of Law. Admissions to the Bar, Foreign Study
boasts the only semester-abroad program in www.abanet.org/legaled/studyabroad/
Asia. Through the Semester Law Program in The Central and Eastern European Law abroad.html
Tokyo, students spend their spring studying Program allows students from Indiana
law in Japan’s capitol city. The program is University School of Law-Indianapolis to Legal Study Abroad Headquarters
comprised of several standard law courses, earn six hours of ABA-approved credits while www.ilrg.com/lsahq
as well as courses focused on international, studying at the seaside resort of Dubrovnik,
comparative, and Asian legal studies, such as Croatia. The program is held in collaboration Study-Abroad Programs
Introduction to Japanese Law, Introduction with the University of Zagreb School of www.abanet.org/legaled/studyabroad/
to Chinese Law, and East/West Negotiations. Law. Available classes include Real Estate foreign.html
In addition to classes, students are given a Acquisition and Ownership in Central and
broad range of extracurricular activities to Eastern Europe and Legal Aspects of Doing
choose from, including trips to the Supreme Business in Central and Eastern Europe-
Court of Japan and Fuchu Prison. from the American and the European
Perspective.
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